Delhi HC issues notice to Sports Ministry, JFI on plea of Bombay Judo Association seeking restoration of voting rights

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Centre and Judo Federation of India (JFI) on the plea by the Bombay Judo Association seeking restoration of voting rights.

Justice V Kameswar Rao issued notice to the Judo Federation of India (JFI) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Central Government Standing Counsel Anil Soni accepted the notice and sought 10 days' time to file a reply. The Court has listed the matter for further hearing on March 11, 2022.

Advocate Nina R Nariman, counsel for the petitioner Bombay Judo Association submitted that the petitioner does not have voting rights despite an order of April 9, 2018 passed by the Delhi High Court in the matter of Yashpal Solanki vs Union of India and others.

The counsel for the association argued that the High court had directed the respondent to restore/ensure all the privileges and right of the petitioner including the voting rights which the petitioner Association had been enjoying until the year 2018.

The Association has filed a petition through Advocate Abhishek Gupta. It is stated that the petitioner was formed in the year 1962 and is the governing body of sports of Judo in Mumbai.

The petition also stated that in the year 2018, JFI suo moto withdrew the two voting rights conferred on the petitioner based on the directives dated February 23, 2017, issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and sports.

The petitioner was not given any notice to represent their case. Thus, the petitioner was arbitrarily and wilfully deprived of its voting rights, the petition said.

The upcoming elections of the JFI slated to take place on 5 March 2022, the petitioner has been arbitrarily and whimsically excluded from the electoral list, in non-compliance with this court order of April 9, 2018.

( With inputs from ANI )