HC wants Centre, WFI to respond to protesting wrestlers’ plea against federation election

The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to the Centre on a plea by grapplers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Satyawart Kadian to set aside the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections held in December 2023.

A single-judge bench of Justice Sachin Datta issued the notice to the government through the sports ministry, WFI and the ad-hoc committee appointed to run the federation.

The court granted time to the Centre’s counsel to seek instructions in the matter and listed the matter for hearing on March 7.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the petitioner wrestlers, argued that they have sought directions against the “illegal action” of the “suspended” WFI to conduct selection trials for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 and Asian Olympic Games Qualifier, notified through its circular dated February 26, going against the directives of the ad-hoc committee.

The plea also seeks that the December 21 election held by the WFI be declared illegal and void ab-initio, the ad-hoc committee be directed to continue administering the day-to-day affairs of the WFI, or in the alternative, a retired Supreme Court judge be appointed as an administrator to take over the affairs of the federation.

Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected president in the election. On December 24, the sports ministry suspended the elected body of the WFI for ‘blatant disregard for established legal and procedural norms’ and had subsequently directed the Indian Olympic Association to set up an ad-hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI.

“The petitioners would like to place on record that apart from them, there are many other athletes/wrestlers who are also facing similar harassment owing to their upright/honest stand against respondent no. 2/WFI and its officials over the illegalities by respondent no.2 in collusion and under instructions of respondent no.2’s/WFI former President and member of Parliament from Kaiserganj constituency namely Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh,” the plea submits. It also seeks a direction to the federation to “cease and desist” from undertaking any activity pertaining to the sport of wrestling.

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It adds that WFI cannot be construed as a “legal, fair, unbiased body” to conduct free and fair trials and unless WFI is specifically restrained to conduct such events, it shall continue to mislead, threaten and creare adversities for wrestlers.

The petitioner wrestlers have sought that either a direction be issued to bring WFI within the conformity of the National Sports Code or in the alternative, the elections be declared illegal and WFI be immediately de-recognised.

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