File picture of Kalyan Chaubey, president, All India Football Federation
| Photo Credit: ANI
Executive Committee to complete term; reforms include tenure cap, cooling-off period, and women’s representation
The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 18, 2025) directed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to convene a general body meeting within four weeks to adopt its draft Constitution with certain modifications, while ruling out fresh elections for the body.
The current Executive Committee, led by Kalyan Chaubey, will serve its full term until September 2026, with elections to be held as scheduled.
“We are of the firm opinion that the Constitution, once adopted in terms of Article 84, will mark a new beginning for Indian football and take the sport to greater heights,” a Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Joymala Bagchi observed in a 78-page judgment.
The draft Constitution, prepared by former judge L. Nageswara Rao, is broadly in line with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. It caps office-bearers’ tenure at 12 years, mandates a four-year cooling-off period after eight years in office, and sets the upper age limit at 70.
The court approved an AIFF amendment to increase vice-presidents to three, including one woman, noting this would “enable women’s representation and, at the same time, confine the number of the executive committee to fifteen members.”
The draft further provides that the General Body will include state association representatives, 15 eminent players (five women), three club nominees, and two each from referees and coaches. On defining “eminent players,” the court reduced the eligibility criteria to five international matches for men and two for women, instead of Justice Rao’s higher threshold.
The ruling comes against the backdrop of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation warning of suspension if the AIFF failed to ratify its Constitution by October 30.
Earlier this month, the court had endorsed a joint AIFF-FSDL proposal to ensure timely commencement of the 2025–26 football season, beginning with a pre-season camp and the Super Cup, followed by the Indian Super League (ISL) in December.
Published – September 19, 2025 11:22 am IST