AIFF to Finalize New Constitution in Accordance with Supreme Court Mandate at Upcoming Meeting

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has convened a Special General Body meeting on October 12 to adopt the draft Constitution and other amendments in line with the Supreme Court ruling.

World football governing body FIFA has set an October 30 deadline for the AIFF to adopt the new Constitution.

"The SGM has been called for special agenda. It has been just to adopt the Constitution, and there is no other agenda," a top AIFF official told PTI on Sunday.

The SGM will be held in the national capital, where the AIFF is headquartered.

The Supreme Court on September 19 approved the draft constitution of the AIFF prepared by former apex court judge L Nageswara Rao with certain modifications, and directed the football body to adopt it within four weeks in a general body meeting.

The draft constitution, prepared by Justice Rao on the top court’s directions, proposed some radical changes, including a person holding the office for a maximum period of 12 years during their lifetime subject to serving a maximum of two successive terms of four years each.

While it said a cooling off period of four years had to be observed after eight years as an office bearer of the sports body, the draft said a person couldn't remain a member of the sports body after attaining 70 years of age.

Under the draft constitution, the executive committee of the AIFF would have 14 members, who would be under the age and tenure restrictions.

There will be one president, two vice presidents (a man and a woman), one treasurer and 10 other members, it added.

Of the 10 other members, five would be eminent players, including two women.

The draft constitution also has provisions for the removal of the office bearers, including the president, through a no-confidence motion which the existing constitution of the AIFF does not have.