Delhi HC stays AICF Secretary Chauhan's election over sports code issue

With barely two months left before the Chess Olympiad is set to kick off in Chennai, the Delhi High court has gone all out against the All India Chess Federation (AICF) and its secretary, Bharat Singh Chauhan, and stayed his election until the next hearing for violating the sports code.

The Delhi HC discovered that Chauhan cannot continue as Secretary of the AICF because he did not meet the required number of votes criteria in the elections held in January, 2021. The appeal was filed by Ravindra Dongre, the president of Zone 3.7 of the World Chess Federation with Justice Najmi Waziri declaring the order.

"My election has been stayed till the next hearing. I cannot act as the secretary till the finalisation of the case," Chauhan was found saying after the hearing, according to reports, dismissing that he has been removed from his position entirely.

Bharat Singh Chauhan is also the Tournament Director of the Chess Olympiad, however, the rulings of this case, should not be having any effect on his status as Tournament Director because there is no criteria that the director has to be an office-bearer of the Chess Federation.

Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, who was present in the courtroom for another matter, stood up and informed the court that in one of his matters concerning another sports federation, the ministry of sports had taken a stand that 2/3rd votes were mandatory, referring to the sports code violation by Hockey India.

While contesting for re-election for the 2020-2023 term, Chauhan got 35 votes which did not meet the 2/3rd votes criteria while Dongre got 29 votes.

Chauhan's term has been full of controversies given that he disaffiliated eight-member state associations for having cases pending against the AICF.