Supreme Court reviews AIFF Draft Constitution case, dates for final arguments set

The draft constitution for AIFF has been ready since July 2022.

The Supreme Court of India (SC) has set a timeline for the final arguments in the crucial hearing concerning the All India Football Federation (AIFF) constitution, a subject that continues to intrigue Indian football fans and critics.

An SC bench consisting of Justices PS Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi heard senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan make his opening arguments while explaining the draft constitution. The bench was briefed about the draft constitution, and now all parties have been given time to submit their objections or comments. The bench has further set April 2 and April 3 as the dates to conclude the case.

“For further arguments, list these matters for final disposal at 2 p.m. on 02.04.2025 as a first item,” said Supereme Court in the order passed today.

AIFF’s draft constitution years in the making

The roots of the issue date back to May 2022 after India’s apex court removed then-President Praful Patel and his executive committee from their administrative roles. After failing to conduct the AIFF elections despite completing three four-year terms, Patel became ineligible for re-election for the post under the National Sports Code.

Responding to the situation, a bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and PS Narasimha had appointed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to oversee AIFF’s day-to-day affairs.

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On July 15, 2022, the appointed CoA prepared a draft constitution for the All India Football Federation and submitted it to the Supreme Court for approval. However, just a month later, on August 16, 2022, Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) suspended the AIFF due to undue third-party influence, citing a direct violation of FIFA Statutes.

After intervention from the Indian government, the suspension from FIFA was lifted on August 27, 2022, allowing AIFF administrators to resume daily operations. It also paved the way for conducting fresh elections and the appointment of Kalyan Chaubey as the new President and Shaji Prabhakaran as the new General Secretary.

A game of delays causing more uncertainty

While the draft constitution has been ready since July 2022, multiple objections from stakeholders, including FIFA, has delayed its approval. In May 2023, the Supreme Court appointed former apex court judge L. Nageswara Rao to oversee the finalization of AIFF’s constitution.

His appointment was meant to address concerns raised by FIFA, AFC, FSDL, state federations, ISL & I-League clubs, and other stakeholders about the stakeholders. After bringing all parties to a consensus through a series of meetings, L. Nageswara Rao had made significant strides. However, AIFF has since held off and is currently waiting for the Supreme Court’s approval before formally adopting the new constitution.

The slow process and explanation of details have made things harder for all parties involved and led to greater frustration in the Indian football community, who are closely monitoring the proceedings. The future of the current AIFF executive committee and president Kalyan Chaubey is yet to be addressed.

As the honorable bench has decided to finish up all the proceedings within the first week of April, the anticipation of a momentous judgment will pave the way for a more structured and transparent governance model. Such a model is desperately needed for the restoration of stability and credibility to the sport in the country.

While the desperation and frustration will be at an all-time high for Indian football fans, patience will be key for witnessing what the future holds. More details will be added in the coming hours.

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