Now Reading: National Sports Board still not formed, NSFs face election uncertainty
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National Sports Board still not formed, NSFs face election uncertainty
Eight months after the National Sports Governance Act 2025 came into force, the National Sports Board (NSB) has not been formed, leaving several major sports federations in limbo as they head into…
Eight months after the National Sports Governance Act 2025 came into force, the National Sports Board (NSB) has not been formed, leaving several major sports federations in limbo as they head into elections this year. The sports ministry has extended the application deadline for the NSB chairperson and two members to August 28, the third such extension, after calling for applications in June.
Federations including the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Hockey India, the Judo Federation of India, the All India Football Federation, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) must hold elections this year. The IOA is awaiting the NSB to maintain a roster of election panel members, including a returning officer. The International Olympic Council has told this newspaper it is monitoring the process and would prefer elections by December 10.
The ambiguity has left some federations unsure whether to conduct elections under the old Sports Code or the new Act. The AITA faces a September 30 deadline set by the Delhi High Court. The IOA will meet on September 1 to discuss shortlisting a returning officer before a proposed Special General Meeting on September 8.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The delay in forming the NSB creates a procedural deadlock for the IOA and top NSFs at a time India is bidding for the 2036 Olympics. Under the 2025 Act, the NSB must recommend a National Sports Election Panel before any federation election can be valid. Until the board exists, no returning officer can be notified from the central roster, leaving elections legally vulnerable to challenge. The AITA situation is the most urgent: the Delhi High Court has allowed non-compliant state units to vote by September 30, but the IOA has no mechanism to appoint a returning officer before the NSB is formed. The IOC's December 10 preference is not a formal deadline, but a delay past that date could be seen as a governance lapse in India's Olympic bid.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
