Bhubaneswar: The Orissa High Court has stayed the ongoing election process of Hockey India and the show-cause notice issued against Hockey Odisha seeking to revoke its permanent membership and downgrade it to associate member status.
Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, briefing the media, said the High Court granted the interim relief after considering submissions challenging the legality of Hockey India’s actions.
Acharya stated that Dilip Tirkey was elected President and Bhola Nath Singh Secretary General of Hockey India in 2022. Their tenure, he said, ended on September 30. He questioned how Bhola Nath Singh could continue exercising the powers of Secretary General and issue a show-cause notice against Hockey Odisha after the alleged expiry of his tenure.
He further argued that the Hockey India election process violated central sports governance regulations and directives. District-level hockey association elections had not been completed across the country, and the Central Government had directed national sports bodies to defer elections until December 31.
Conducting elections while attempting to deprive Hockey Odisha of its permanent membership rights without resolving the membership dispute was unlawful and unconstitutional, Acharya contended.
Highlighting Odisha’s contribution, the Advocate General said the state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) provides more than Rs 30 crore annually for the promotion and development of hockey across the country and has contributed approximately Rs 105 crore over the past three years.
The High Court has stayed both the election process and the show-cause notice. The next hearing is scheduled for December 9.
The interim orders provide temporary relief to Hockey Odisha while the legal questions remain pending before the court.
