The Centre was today directed by the Delhi High Court to hold elections to all sports federations,which are overdue. "We expect the Central government to hold elections to sports federations,if overdue," a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Rahul Mehra alleging that sacked Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi and other officials have been violating the National Sports Development Code of India as their terms are over and they were likely to contest the election due in October. Mehra prayed to the bench to pass the directions that wherever and in whichever sports body elections are overdue,the same must be held. "It is your duty. If elections are overdue,just direct them to hold elections," the bench told the counsel appearing for the Centre. Mehra also said that the situation was the same in the Archery Association of India headed by senior BJP leader V K Malhotra,who is also the acting president of the IOA for 35 years now. "The elections were due in February but they were not held as the person holding the post will have to go as the tenure and age rule debars him from holding the chair," Mehra submitted. He said the Union Sports Ministry's guidelines mandate a person to continue as IOA president only up to 12 years.
