HC asks WFI body to decide on Maharashtra association's plea against panel dissolution

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra State Wrestling Association (MSWA) to approach the sport's apex governing body against the "sudden dissolution" of its elected executive committee led by NCP president Sharad Pawar.

A division bench of Justices SV Gangapurwala and Madhav Jamdar further directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the New Delhi-headquartered governing body of the sport, to decide the MSWA's application expeditiously - that is within 30 days from filing.

Pawar, a former Union minister and veteran cricket administrator, headed the MSWA executive committee for over 40 years till it was dissolved by the WFI on July 4, 2022.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by the MSWA challenging the WFI's June 30, 2022, decision to dissolve its executive committee citing failure to conduct certain tournaments.

The MSWA termed this decision as illegal and arbitrary.

On Wednesday, the court was informed by WFI's advocate Ajinkya Udane that the MSWA had an alternate remedy to appeal and the WFI was willing to consider the same.

The HC accepted this and said the WFI's assurance given on an earlier date that it would not declare the results of the fresh election held for various posts in the executive committee till the MSWA's appeal was decided and for ten days thereafter.