The Union Sports Ministry has decided to redraft the contentious National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI) 2011, forming a working group for the same.
The NSDCI, which includes all the orders and instructions issued by the sports ministry including restrictions on age and tenure of sports administrators in the country, came into force from January 31, 2011 even though the code has triggered several controversies over the years in terms of its implementation by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and various National Sports Federations (NSFs).
“Since (2011) a lot of developments have taken place in the sports sector, necessitating more accountability and transparency in the functioning of the sports bodies. Hence, further amendments to the various provisions of NSDCI need to be re-examined and to bring about suitable amendments to relevant provisions of the NSDCI. To facilitate holding of consultations and prepare a revised draft of the NSDCI, it has been decided to constitute a working group,” the Sports Ministry said in a release.
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The working group would be headed by retired Delhi High Court judge C.K. Mahajan and examine the existing NSDCI from every aspect of governance. Besides sports administration, the group would also look into the legal angle and finetune/revise the same. It would also look into the process of streamlining state bodies and preparation of NSFs’ electoral college. The group has to submit the revised draft within three months.
The panel: Justice (retd.) C.K. Mahajan of Delhi HC (chairman), Pallavi Shroff (lawyer), Ajitpal Singh (former hockey player), Indu Puri (former table tennis player), Neeru Bhatia (journalist), Onkar Kedia (JS, MYAS), Lt. Gen. Rajiv Bhalla (Advisor, MYAS), President/Secretary General (IOA) and Secretary, SAI.