Football Federation adopts Supreme Court-Approved Constitution, Two clauses pending
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Sunday adopted its Supreme Court-approved constitution at a Special General Body Meeting, leaving out two contentious clauses “pending directions from the Apex Court.”
On September 19, the Supreme Court approved the draft constitution of the AIFF, prepared by former apex court judge L. Nageswara Rao, with certain modifications. The Court directed the federation to adopt the constitution within four weeks.
However, two clauses of the draft Article 23.3, requiring Supreme Court approval for amendments, and Clause (c) of Article 25.3, prohibiting office-bearers from holding dual posts in the AIFF and state units remained unresolved, creating concerns for the federation’s top officials.“The constitution was adopted without the two clauses, pending directions from the Supreme Court,” according to AIFF officials.
The AIFF had approached the Court on Thursday seeking clarification on the two clauses in view of objections raised by FIFA, the world governing body. An SC bench on Friday asked the federation to inform the SGM that the Supreme Court would provide clarification. The Court also said it would consult with Justice Rao regarding the two clauses and request his report.
Following this, the AIFF and other stakeholders held a virtual meeting with Justice Rao on Saturday. According to sources, the Supreme Court may address the matter regarding the two clauses on Monday or Tuesday after receiving his report. “We can’t predict what the Supreme Court will decide; we have to wait and watch,” the official said when asked about AIFF’s next steps. FIFA had earlier set a deadline of October 30 for the AIFF to adopt the constitution or risk suspension.
Key clauses pending SC direction
• Article 23.3: “Any such amendment shall not be given effect without the leave of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.”
• Clause (c) of Article 25.3: “In the event a person is elected as an Office-Bearer in the Executive Committee of the AIFF and holds a position of an Office-Bearer in a Member Association, he/she shall automatically be deemed to have vacated his/her position in the Member Association.”
If Clause 25.3(c) is implemented, most Executive Committee members of the AIFF may not be able to continue as office-bearers in their respective state units unless they resign from the AIFF committee. Out of the 16 elected officials and six co-opted members in the Executive Committee, at least 12 currently hold positions in state units, which could be affected.
The clause was initially proposed by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), headed by former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, but was not included in Justice Rao’s draft. The Supreme Court reinstated it after objections from some stakeholders.
Important provisions of the AIFF constitution
The Supreme Court-approved draft constitution introduces significant changes:
• Term Limits: Office-bearers can serve a maximum of 12 years in a lifetime, with a maximum of two successive four-year terms.
• Executive Committee Structure: The committee will have 14 members, including one president, two vice presidents (one man, one woman), one treasurer, and ten other members. Of the ten, five will be eminent former players, including two women.
• Removal of Office-Bearers: Provisions for removal via no-confidence motion, including the president, which was absent in the previous constitution.
• Top League Governance: India’s top-tier football league will now be fully owned and operated by the AIFF, ending private ownership. The league will implement a promotion and relegation system , aligning with global football standards.
The adoption of this constitution is seen as a major step toward aligning Indian football governance with international standards, while addressing both FIFA requirements and internal reforms.