Excelsior Sports Correspondent
New Delhi, Feb 13: The Delhi High Court has appointed Justice Gita Mittal and former Chief Justice of J&K High Court as chairperson of the Committee of Administrators to conduct the affairs of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI).
Justice Rekha Palli appointed a three member Committee of Administrators on Friday this week, thereby suspending the operation of it’s Executive Committee after observing that prima facie, conduct of the federation was blameworthy.
“This Court is, therefore, of the opinion that till a deeper scrutiny of respondent no.1’s affairs is carried out, either by the Union of India or by an independent committee, a Committee of Administrators is required to be immediately appointed to conduct the affairs of the respondent no.1 Federation,” the Court said. The Court was dealing with a plea filed by Table Tennis player Manika Batra, challenging the Rules issued by TTFI which makes attending a national coaching camp compulsory for being selected for international events.
The Committee will include the following as members of the committee including Chetan Mittal, Senior Advocate and SD Mudgil, a renowned athlete. The following directions are issued to facilitate the smooth functioning of the committee of Administrators:
The Executive Body of respondent no.1 will acquiesce their administrative duties to the committee of Administrators, while the staff engaged by the respondent no.1 Federation will continue to work on the same terms and conditions as was applicable to them. Since, there are a number of tournaments coming up in the near future, it is expected that the Executive members of the committee, who claim to be working in the interest of the sportspersons, will render all assistance to the committee of Administrators, as and when required.
Even though this committee is being constituted only to ensure that the morale of sportspersons and pride of the country is safeguarded, and the efforts which the three members will be required to put in cannot be compensated, it is directed that a monthly honorarium to be paid to the members of the committee of Administrators, for the present is being fixed at Rs 3 lakhs for the chairperson, and Rs 1 lakh each for the two members.
Upon the Committee of Administrators as nominated above assuming charge, the existing office bearers of the respondent no.1 Federation shall no longer be entitled to discharge any function of the Federation but will, as already directed, render assistance to the Committee of Administrators, as and when requested by the said Committee.
The committee will have the power to issue all appropriate directions, under the signatures of the chairperson, as may be necessary for the functioning of the Federation. The committee will be entitled to utilise the existing office of the respondent no.1, as also to avail the services of the staff already employed by respondent no.1.
All communications on behalf of the respondent no.1 Federation with any sportsperson or international sports bodies, will now take place only through the committee. Any of the two members of the committee of Administrators will, with the prior approval of the chairperson, be authorised to sign all cheques on behalf of respondent no.1.
All the banks where the respondent no.1 Federation have bank accounts, are directed to treat the members of the committee of Administrator as being authorised signatories of respondent no.1. The Committee of Administrators will submit a periodic report, including that relating to accounts, every two months.
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