Gujarat High Court Issues Notice On Ex-National Table Tennis Player's Plea To Conduct Fresh Elections To State TT Association
The Gujarat High Court issued notice on a PIL filed by a former national-level table tennis player seeking conduct of fresh elections to the executive committee of State Table Tennis Association, claiming that non-conduct of elections since the past 14-years violates the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 (Sports Code).
The petitioner has challenged the inaction of the State Association (TT) for not complying with the provisions of Sports Code which includes proper functioning of sports body under the Sports Code with requisite representation of sportspersons.
The plea further claims that elections for the executive members of the State Association (TT) which is affiliated with the Table Tennis Federation of India, have not been held in last 14 years. This the plea claims is not only grave violation of sports code but also contravenes the body's own constitution. The plea claims that State Association is a democratic association and thus there is a requisite condition to conduct election of executive members of State Association.
A division bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D.N. Ray in its order said, “Let a notice be issued to the respondent nos.2 and 4 through the R.P.A.D., returnable on 25.07.2025. Necessary steps be taken within a week.”
The respondents in the matter are–Union of India (R1), Gujarat State Table Tennis Association (R2), Comptroller and Auditor General of India (R3), Table Tennis Federation of India (R4).
The plea seeks a direction to conduct fresh elections to the executive committee of the state association (TT) as per extant rules which shall incorporate the rules adopted by the Sports Code and Model Election Guidelines. It further seeks a direction the association to implement the sports code and that the same may be done by an officer appointed by the high court.
The matter is next listed on July 25.
Case Title: Yatharth Hetal Pandya vs Union of India
Case Number: WPPIL No. 11 of 2025
Counsel for the Petitioner: Advocate Dr. Aum M Kotwal
Counsel for the Respondent No.1: Advocate Harsheel D. Shukla