After Gauhati HC's Back & Forth, SC Lifts Stay on Wrestling Federation Elections

The WFI elections were originally scheduled to take place on 11 July following the exit of BJP MP Brij Bhushan.

The WFI elections were originally scheduled to take place on 11 July

(Photo: PTI)

The Supreme Court on Tuesday, 18 July, removed the stay that was recently imposed by the Gauhati High Court on the elections to the executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

The original election date: The WFI elections were originally scheduled to take place on 11 July to form a new Executive Council of the federation following the exit of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has had six women wrestlers file complaints of sexual harassment against him.

Yes, but: the Gauhati High Court, in a special Sunday hearing on 25 June, had put an interim stay on the election following the Assam Wrestling Association (AWA) petition regarding their right to be a voting member of the WFI.

Postponed twice: In the first hearing, the High Court ordered the respondents, the WFI's ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry, to postpone the election until at least the next hearing which was on Monday, 17 July. On Monday, 18 July, though, with the WFI's council failing to appear in court, the matter was set for its next date on 28 July.

In the courtroom today: The Andhra Pradesh Amateur Wrestling Association, represented by Advocate Anuj Tyagi, filed a plea against the aforementioned order. They informed the Supreme Court that the High Court had stayed the elections based on a plea from a third party.

The Association's counsel further clarified that despite the resolution of disputes between different states, the elections had to be rescheduled. Additionally, the counsel highlighted that the High Court had extended the stay just yesterday.

Considering these arguments, the Supreme Court took note of the matter, issued a notice, and stayed the High Court's interim order.

(With Inputs from LiveLaw, Bar and Bench.)