New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday issued notice in a plea filed by four state associations seeking the removal of Anil Dhupar as secretary-general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA).
A bench of justice Mini Pushkarna asked Dhupar to respond in the plea filed by the Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana state units and fixed the next date of hearing on April 4.
In the application, the state units said that Dhupar continuing in the post beyond the age of 70 was in violation of the age limit laid down by the National Sports Code for federation office-bearers. It was also detrimental to the spirit of Indian tennis as he has frequently indulged in bad-mouthing Indian players and officials.
“It is evident that the continued occupation of the position of general secretary of the AITA is a direct violation of the sports code and the principles of good governance envisioned for the administration of sports bodies,” it stated.
The application has been preferred in a plea filed by former India tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja challenging the conduct of elections and asking it to file a substantive affidavit addressing the allegations. In the plea, the players had asserted that AITA was conducting polls in violation of the sports code. The high court had on September 24 refused to stay the elections (held on September 28) but restrained the poll officer from publishing the results. It had said that the elections would be subject to the outcome of the petition. In December, the court had refused to vacate its stay order.
{{/usCountry}}The application has been preferred in a plea filed by former India tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja challenging the conduct of elections and asking it to file a substantive affidavit addressing the allegations. In the plea, the players had asserted that AITA was conducting polls in violation of the sports code. The high court had on September 24 refused to stay the elections (held on September 28) but restrained the poll officer from publishing the results. It had said that the elections would be subject to the outcome of the petition. In December, the court had refused to vacate its stay order.
{{/usCountry}}The application contended that Dhupar had taken advantage of the court’s September 24 order to perpetuate his tenure illegally.