Supreme Court Set to Deliver Verdict on AIFF's Transformative Draft Constitution

The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the finalization of the AIFF's draft constitution, a document proposing significant changes such as tenure limits for office bearers and age restrictions. The draft, prepared by Justice L Nageswara Rao, was met with objections from various football associations and former players.

The Supreme Court reserved its verdict concerning the finalization of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) draft constitution. Drafted by former apex court judge L Nageswara Rao, the proposal introduces significant changes to the federation's governance, including age and tenure restrictions for office bearers.

A bench comprising Justices P S Narasimnha and Joymalya Bagchi heard from senior lawyers like Ranjit Kumar and Rahul Mehra, alongside amicus curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan, before reserving judgment. The new draft suggests a maximum stint of 12 years for office bearers, with two successive terms of four years each, and mandates a cooling-off period after serving eight years.

The proposed constitution also allows for the removal of office bearers through a no-confidence vote, a provision absent in the existing framework. Objections were noted from various football stakeholders, including former players, leading to a comprehensive review by Justice Rao as directed by the court.

(With inputs from agencies.)