CJI Sanjiv Khanna Recuses Himself From Hearing Pleas Related To IOA, AIFF Constitutions

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Monday (January 6, 2025) recused himself from hearing two separate pleas pertaining to finalisation of the constitutions of the Indian Olympic Association and the All India Football Federation, both framed by former apex court judge Justice L Nageswara Rao. (More Sports News)

At the outset of the proceedings, the Chief Justice of India (CJI), who was sitting on the bench with Justice Sanjay Kumar, said he would not be part of the bench to hear these cases as he had earlier taken up one of the pleas in Delhi High Court.

"Let the pleas come before another bench headed by Justice PS Narasimha on February 10. I remember hearing this in Delhi High Court," CJI Khanna said.

The pleas were last taken up on March 19, 2024, by a bench headed by the-then CJI DY Chandrachud.

The bench had then permitted the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to file its objections to the draft constitution proposed by Justice Rao.

"The amicus curiae will update the existing chart to reflect the objections of the AIFF," the bench had said.

It had also said that it would decide the issues raised about the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the AIFF constitutions on the next date of hearing.

While dealing with the pleas on the AIFF's constitution, the bench had said the report submitted by Justice Rao would be circulated by Gopal Sankarnarayanan, the amicus curiae -- friend of court appointed to assist the court in the matter -- to all the parties wanting to secure soft copies.

It had directed that the objections to the AIFF's draft constitution also be filed. Prior to this, the top court had extended the time for filing objections to the draft constitution of the IOA.

It had also made it clear that the pendency of pleas related to the IOA would not preclude high courts from continuing with hearings on pending petitions linked to other sports bodies.

The IOA's draft constitution was adopted at the special general body meeting in Delhi.

While the IOA adopted the draft constitution, framed under the supervision of the Supreme Court and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), several members said they were forced into adopting it after the apex court made it mandatory.

The top court had also urged Justice Rao to prepare a comprehensive report on finalising the AIFF constitution after taking note of the objections to a draft document by various stakeholders, including FIFA, the apex global body that governs football.

It had said the voluminous objections to the draft constitution by various stakeholders could be taken care of by Justice Rao, who had finalised the IOA constitution on the top court's orders.

The apex court had decided to hear the pleas related to the IOA and the AIFF together.