Delhi High Court Appoints New Chairperson for AIFF Ethics Committee Amid Controversy

Court's Decision on AIFF Ethics Committee

In a significant turn of events for the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the Delhi High Court has designated Justice (retd) Rekha Palli as the head of its ethics and dispute resolution committee. This decision was made on Wednesday during a hearing presided over by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, following a petition from Churchill Brothers, which sought the formation of an independent and impartial committee.

The club had previously lodged multiple complaints regarding Inter Kashi's entry into the I-League, alleging that it benefited from reduced financial criteria. They also raised concerns about a conflict of interest involving former AIFF president Prithijit Das, who was in office during the bidding process.

Moreover, Churchill Brothers filed a petition against AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, citing that his wife, Sohini Mitra Chaubey, is a member of the executive board at Mohun Bagan football club.

The club expressed its discontent over RK Pachanda's ongoing role as the ethics panel chair, leading the judge to request his recusal. Following this, objections were raised against Sudharshan Aggarwal's membership on the committee, as he had previously represented the AIFF president in a personal legal matter, resulting in his resignation.

The AIFF's subsequent appointment of two new committee members faced challenges, with the High Court deeming it unconstitutional due to the lack of shared eligibility reports with executive committee members prior to their appointments.

Justice Kaurav concurred with the arguments presented by Churchill Brothers' senior advocates, Ravi Prakash and Astu Khandelwal, asserting that the AIFF panel was compromised and biased.

Additionally, senior advocate Akshay Makhija has been appointed to the committee, while Justice (retd) Ashok Tripathi will remain a member. The court has mandated that two more members be appointed after discussions among the three reconstituted members.

Churchill Brothers expressed that this ruling validates their position. "For Churchill Brothers — a club that has proudly represented Goan and Indian football since 1988 — this ruling is not just a legal triumph. It reaffirms the principle that no entity, regardless of its power, can deny a legitimate party the right to a fair and impartial hearing," the club stated.