ITANAGAR, 1 Mar: Kerala High Court Judge, Justice PV Kunhikrishnan, while disposing of a writ petition (No 19348/2020) filed on 18 September, 2020, has issued a common order stating that “There will be a direction to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to ensure that ad hoc committee regulates all programme conducted by the Karate Association of India (KAI).”
“The ad hoc committee under the control of the Indian Olympic Association will alone be treated as the national body until further orders from this court.
“If anybody participates in any ensuing Kerala game, they are free to participate individually, if they are eligible as per rules,” the order read.
“The Indian Olympic Association shall also ensure that no interference is made by any other organisation in the conduct of the programmes,” it added.
It may be mentioned here that Kerala High Court Judge, Justice PV Asha, while disposing of a writ petition (No 19348/2020) on 18 September, 2020, in her verdict ordered that: “There shall be a stay of the 6th respondent (Kerala India Organisation) being note of the earlier order in WP (C) No 3933/2019 dated 04.07.2019 (Ext P5) and the letter issued by the ministry of youth affairs & sports (1st respondent) dated 16.06.2020 (Ext P5) as sought for in the interim prayer.
“Hence it may be clarified that all further proceedings which may be taken by the 1st and 2nd respondents (MoYAS & IOA) for recognition/affiliation for the 6th respondent [Karate India Organisation or KIO] as the national federation is hereby stayed/restrained. Therefore, the KIO will not have any authority to conduct any programme and collecting funds styling/bannering themselves as the official national federation,” the order read.
“The above order may be treated as stay with a view to protect the final judgement that may be passed against the respondents 1 & 2 to desist from giving any recognition/affiliation to the 6th respondent which is trying to hijack the position of 5th respondent KAI which is the national federation, in violation of Ext P5 order passed by the high court and in view of Ext P8.
“Hence any programme conducted by the 6th respondent anywhere in India, like selection process, examinations, tournament, issuance of certificates and all other activities initiated by then including representing Indian contingent in international events, meetings will not have any validity and recognition. The 6th respondent also will not have any eligibility to receive grants/funds or sponsorships/scholarships from the government of India or any statutory body in view of the interim order,” the order added.
KAI general secretary Rajnesh Choudhary, while welcoming the high court verdict, said that “the KAI, headed by an honest and capable person, has been promoting karate for the national karatekas to represent India in various national and Asian games.”
“It would continue to do so with commitment,” he said, adding that “we wholeheartedly welcome the judicial process as other bodies were creating confusion and taking karatekas for a ride.”
