'Entirely Unconstitutional': Congress MP Manish Tewari questions legitimacy of National Sports Governance Bill

The bill has come under scrutiny since being tabled in the parliament.

Congress leader and MP Manish Tewari has stirred controversy after calling the National Sports Governance Bill 2025, which was introduced to the parliament by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, “entirely unconstitutional.”

The new sports bill brings all national sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) under the Government of India and makes them subject to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. However, Tewari has that the state has no legal authority to regulate sports bodies.

Also Read: Five major talking points from National Sports Governance Bill 2025

“The bill is entirely unconstitutional. It is beyond the legislative competence of the government,” he told reporters a day after the bill was introduced in the ongoing monsoon session.

He pointed to Entry 33 of the State List in the Constitution, which gives state governments the power to legislate on sports matters and said “the Government of India has absolutely no power to legislate with regard to sporting federations.”

“The govt is trying to draw sustenance from very dodgy constitutional entries and one or two judgements of the Delhi High Court and Madras High Court, which have interpreted those entries in a particular manner,” Tewari added.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who introduced the bill, suggested that the intent is to streamline and modernise Indian sports governance, particularly ahead of India’s 2036 Olympic bid.

Also Read: India officially bids to host Olympic Games 2036 with Ahmedabad as proposed host city

The National Sports Governance Bill 2025 says that there will be one governing body each for Olympic and Paralympic sports, and all federations, even autonomous ones like the BCCI, will need to operate under this structure.

“But the bill in its present form is not going to stand the test of law. As far as the BCCI is concerned, this is a clear attempt to bring the BCCI within the ambit of the governance structure which the government is trying to put in place,” said the Congress MP.

With cricket set to be part of the Olympics now, starting from the Los Angeles 2028 Games, and India targeting a double-digit medal tally, the bill aims for a stronger oversight and financial transparency.

The bill also targets to establish a dedicated sports tribunal with civil court power that aims to protect the athletes’ ‘interests and ensure that India’s sports governance aligns with global standards.

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