Sword of FIFA ban hanging over AIFF, Supreme Court pushes for polls to football body

FIFA ban on the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Supreme Court said on Thursday it will first deal with the issue of holding elections to it so a democratically elected body is in place well ahead of the under-17 Women's World Cup. A FIFA ban, on account of delayed elections to the AIFF, may result in the Women's U-17 World Cup being shifted outside India. The tournament is to be held in three venues from October 11 to 30.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant said it will hear on August 3 the modalities for holding the elections, days after the final draft constitution of AIFF prepared by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) was submitted to the Supreme Court for approval. "We are putting you on guard that we will not be able to devote the amount of time to finalise the entirety of the constitution. We will go by the suggestions that some directions may be issued for holding of the elections.

Put a body in place and conduct the tournament in October. "When we are laying out the modalities of the elections, we will also lay down modalities for fixing the electoral college," the bench said. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, appearing for the Committee of Administrators, said international football governing body FIFA has written a letter saying the constitution needs to be in place by the end of July.

He submitted that there should be no rush in deciding the constitution of AIFF. "I don't think FIFA can believe that it can rush the court and AIFF in taking such decisions. Those who have been sitting in power in such bodies promote themselves to international bodies.