New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the stay recently imposed by the Gauhati High Court on elections to the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The Andhra Pradesh Amateur Wrestling Association has moved the apex court through advocates Anuj Tyagi and Jaya Suri Phalpher challenging the High Court order. A bench comprising justices Aniruddha Bose and SV Bhatti stayed the interim order passed by the High Court and also issued notice on the Association’s plea.
The petitioner contended before the apex court that the elections were stayed by the High Court on a third party's plea. Last month, the High Court stayed the elections while dealing with a case raising a grievance over the alleged failure to affiliate the Assam Wrestling Association with the WFI, which meant that the former could not participate in the elections.
The Association’s plea contended that on June 25, 2023, the Gauhati High Court stayed the elections of the WFI vide ex-parte order where none of the members of the WFO had been made a party. “The Petitioner came into the knowledge of the existence of the order on June 26, 2023, when it was reported by a few national papers and a press note released by the Returning Officer on the website of the WFI on June 26, 2023," said the plea.
The plea contended that it is a settled principle of law that once the election process has been set in motion, it should not be interdicted and any grievances that the contestants and/or voters may have, may be later agitated by way of an election petition. “The High Court has erred in staying the elections of the WFI, which could also lead to the suspension of the WFO by the United World Wrestling (UWW) thereby depriving the Indian athletes of participation in multi-sporting events under the Indian Flag”, said the plea.
The Association's counsel contended that the elections had to be rescheduled again, even though disputes between various states have since been resolved and the High Court’s stay was extended on Monday. The Association’s plea stressed that WFI risks suspension by the international body UWW, which will result in the situation in which the Indian athletes will not be able to compete in international tournaments, which shall be a huge disgrace to the country and a huge disadvantage for the sportsperson, who have been preparing and training day and night to bring laurels to the country.
