The special general assembly of the Indian Olympic Association, to amend its constitution before holding elections by order of the Supreme Court, will be held on November 10.
On Friday, AIO Secretary General Rajeev Mehta issued the notice. He is the main point of contact for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) within the IOA.
“In accordance with the decision of 10 October 2022 of the Honorable Supreme Court of India… The Special General Assembly of the Indian Olympic Association will be held on 10 November 2022 at 10.30 am at Olympic Bhawan, New Delhi,” reads the notice.
“The amended constitution will be duly finalized in agreement with the IOC/OCA as decided at a joint meeting on 27 September 2022 in Luasanne at the Olympic House.
“After the adoption of the Draft Constitution by the IOC/OCA, the Draft Constitution is expected to be formally adopted and approved by the IOA General Body at the IOA AGM on 10.11.2022.”
The notice states that the Supreme Court has appointed retired Judge L Nageswara Rao to amend the IOA constitution, the preparation and finalization of the Electoral College and the conduct of the Executive Board elections.
Previously, the IOC had proposed major changes to the IOA’s constitution, including the appointment of an “appointed CEO” instead of an elected Secretary-General after December’s elections, at a joint meeting in Switzerland last month.
Representatives of the IOC, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), the IOA and the Ministry of Sport met in Lausanne on September 27, following the “final warning” from sports’ international umbrella body to ban national Olympic bodies if elections were not announced in advance. next IOC Executive Board meeting (5-7 December).
Following the meeting, which was also attended by India’s first Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra, the IOC issued a summary proposing, among other things, to change the post of the elected Secretary General to the appointed CEO employed by the Executive Committee. .
“The IOC/OCA will also propose additional elements (such as changing the position of the elected Secretary General to a designated position, so that the Secretary General serves as CEO appointed/employed by the Executive Committee, and including an independent Ethics Commission, running the Athletes Commission in accordance with IOC guidelines and practice safeguards),” the IOC said.
The IOA elections were scheduled to take place in December last year but could not take place due to a pending case in the Delhi High Court in which a petition was filed seeking amendments to its constitution before elections were held to bring it in line with the National. Sports Code.
The IOC has “in principle” accepted most of the points put forward by the Delhi High Court in its decision in August, saying they are consistent with the Olympic Charter and the basic principles of good governance, except for two main points.
The IOC has reservations about the proposed 25% sports membership in the IOA General Assembly with voting rights.
“The AIO constitution will be amended to include the necessary governance reforms. To this end, the IOC/OCA will work with Judges appointed by the Supreme Court of India on the draft revision of the Constitution,” the IOC said.
“In principle, most of the points raised by the Delhi High Court in its decision on 16 August 2022 are acceptable to the IOC/OCA and are in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the basic principles of good governance of the Olympic Movement, with the exception of a 2/3 majority required for re-election (a simple majority, i.e. more than 50% of valid votes cast, is sufficient, as in any electoral process).
“…and the appointment of 25% of athletes as voting members in the General Assembly and Executive Committee of the IOA (which must be refined and the mechanism re-examined in order to be enforceable and in accordance with the requirements of the ground rules relating to membership). any NOC, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the usual standards in the Olympic Movement).
The IOC has said that once the draft constitution is finalized by retired judges with the approval of the IOC/OCA, it will be formally adopted by the IOA General Assembly.
“The IOA elections will be held in accordance with the IOA Constitution and the newly approved Olympic Charter, under the supervision of former judges appointed by the Supreme Court and the IOC/OCA. The entire process (including the election) must be completed before the IOC EB meeting in December 2022.”
Judge (retired) Rao had a meeting with the country’s main sporting body on October 14.
The Delhi High Court on August 16 ordered the establishment of a three-member Administrators Committee (CoA) to manage IOA affairs.
The high court said the IOA’s “persistent reluctance” to comply with the Sports Code meant its case had to be referred to the CoA, which consists of former Chief Justice Anil R Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, and former Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vikas Swarup.
But the Supreme Court on August 18 ordered the status quo after the IOA petitioned the Supreme Court for special leave against the Delhi High Court decision.
Rao said he convened the meeting in accordance with Supreme Court instructions “to prepare a roadmap for amendments to the IOA Constitution and for the conduct of IOA elections so that the entire process is completed by December 15, 2022”.
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