New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday approved the draft constitution of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) with certain modifications and directed the federation to adopt it within four weeks.
The top court described this development as a “new beginning for Indian football,” poised to take the sport to greater heights. It also ordered the AIFF to convene a special general body meeting to adopt the draft constitution, which was prepared by former Supreme Court judge L Nageswara Rao.
### Supreme Court’s Observations
A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi stated, “We have approved the provisions of the constitution in the said terms. We direct the AIFF administration to call for a special general body meeting and adopt the draft constitution with the modifications in this judgment. This shall be done at the earliest, preferably within four weeks.”
The 78-page verdict, authored by Justice Narasimha, addressed 12 key issues including membership, suspension, age restrictions, and conflict of interest concerning both the AIFF and state football associations.
### Applicability to State Associations
The Supreme Court clarified that the draft constitution is applicable to state associations as well, despite their resistance. The bench emphasized, “The inclusion of eminent players, coaches, referees, and club representatives in the general body, with only further good governance, heralds transparency and fair play.”
The court further remarked that continuous monitoring of a sports federation by any external forum — including the Supreme Court — is inappropriate. “Having taken up the matter and ensured that the Constitution is brought to this stage, it is necessary to take it to its logical end. Our monitoring will only be that far and no further,” the bench said.
### Current Executive Committee Tenure
The court declined to interfere with the tenure of the current AIFF executive committee led by President Kalyan Chaubey. It noted that the committee was elected for a four-year term, set to expire in September 2026.
“The current executive committee can be treated as a permanent body which shall discharge its function in accordance with the relevant laws as well as the AIFF constitution,” the verdict added.
### Governance and Structure
On the issue of extending the AIFF constitution to state associations, the bench stressed the importance of maintaining the hierarchical pyramidical structure of Indian football. All constituent units and associations lower in hierarchy must observe the same discipline, transparency, fairness, and governance standards applied at the top level.
Referring to the FIFA statute and insights from Justice L N Rao, the court stated, “We are not inclined to accept the argument that the AIFF Constitution ought not to be extended to the state associations and local bodies.”
### Modifications to Eligibility Criteria
The Supreme Court modified the criteria for an “eminent player” eligible to be a member of the AIFF executive committee. The player must be retired for at least two years and have represented India’s senior national team in at least seven competitive matches for men or three for women sanctioned by FIFA/AFC.
However, the court proposed reducing these criteria to five matches for men and two for women to ensure a wider pool of participation by retired players who can serve as efficient administrators and mentors for Indian football.
### Definition of Office Bearers and Vice Presidents
The bench clarified that the term “office bearers” should be understood in the context of AIFF’s functioning and the reforms to be introduced. This definition directly affects the applicability of cooling-off periods, tenure, and age limits, aligning with the federation’s drive for vibrant governance.
Further, the court accepted AIFF’s proposal to increase the number of vice presidents to three, including at least one woman. “Such an amendment will enable women’s representation and, at the same time, confine the number of the executive committee to fifteen members,” the verdict noted.
### Disqualification Norms
Regarding disqualification criteria, the verdict incorporated provisions on criminal charges and convictions of AIFF and state association members. It aligned these norms with those applied in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) case.
The court modified the disqualification provision to focus on “conviction followed by a sentence of imprisonment,” rather than merely the framing of charges.
The bench also stated that public servants with necessary government approval should face no obstacles in becoming members of the football body.
### Other Modifications
Several other amendments were made to the draft constitution to align it with the National Sports Code, ensuring uniformity and compliance with national standards.
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https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/sc-clears-new-aiff-constitution-calls-it-a-new-beginning-for-indian-football
