SC lifts Gauhati HC’s stay on WFI elections

The High Court on June 25 stayed the proceedings for election of the Executive Committee of WFI on the plea filed by the Assam Wrestling Association.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the direction passed by the Gauhati High Court freezing the election proceedings of the Executive Committee of Wrestling Federation of India.

A bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and S.V. Bhatti issued notices to the Union Sports Ministry, Wrestling Federation of India, Assam Wrestling Association, and Assam Olympic Association’s President, Ritual Sharma in a plea filed by Andhra Pradesh Amateur Wrestling Association challenging the direction issued by the Gauhati High Court.

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The High Court on June 25 stayed the proceedings for election of the Executive Committee of WFI on the plea filed by the Assam Wrestling Association. The plea sought a direction to the WFI to treat Assam Wrestling Association as an affiliated member of WFI.

The north-eastern state association contended that the recommendation to affiliate Assam Wrestling Association as a member, made by the Executive Committee of WFI in November 2014 under the Chairmanship of then President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has not been acted upon so far.

As a consequence, the wrestlers of the State of Assam will be deprived of participation in any national tournaments organised by the WFI and also the State will be deprived of its representatives to take part in the election of the Executive Committee of the WFI, it had told the high court.

“On consideration of the contentions raised by the petitioners ..till the next date fixed, respondents are hereby directed not to proceed with the election of the Executive Committee of the WFI,” the high court had ordered in the matter.