Kerala High Court Stays Conduct Of State Boxing Championship Proposed To Be Held By State Amateur Boxing Association

The Kerala High Court on Friday stayed the conduct of the ‘Kerala State Boxing Championship 2023-24’ organised by the Kerala State Amateur Boxing Association proposed to be held between 28th to 30th May.

A single bench of Justice P V Kunhikrishnan stayed the Championship in a plea filed by Indian Boxing Coach and Dronacharya Awardee D Chandralal. It was his case that the Kerala State Amateur Boxing Association was a suspended and disaffiliated sports organisation and that a state wide selection and championships was proposed to be conducted by the Review/Technical committee appointed by Kerala Sports Council and National Federation from 29th to 31st May.

When the matter came up before the Court on Friday, urgent notice was issued to the National Boxing Federation and the championship was stayed for a period of 2 months.

The Petitioner is a member of the Review Committee constituted by Boxing Federation of India and the Kerala Sports Council to monitor all boxing related activities in the state until elections are conducted for forming the Boxing Association of Kerala.

The petitioner in his plea has stated that the State Amateur Boxing Association has already been suspended by the Kerala Sports Council and dissolved by the National Federation and hence going ahead with the championship in the name of holding national selections is illegal. The intention of conducting such a championship is to disrupt the State Boxing Championships 2023 announced by the Kerala Boxing Review/Technical Committee, the plea stated.

As per the Kerala Sports Act, 2000 the Kerala State Sports Council has the statutory duty to conduct Championships or competitions. Under Section 31 of the Act, the Sports Council can register Sports Associations if they comply with the conditions prescribed in the Act. The sports council has the power to permit sports associations to conduct District or State Championships for selection to the national level, but only if they are registered with the State Sports Council and affiliated to the National Federation.

The Petitioner contends that the Boxing Association was suspended in December 2022, by the State Sports Council for violation of the Kerala Sports Act and Rules. The suspension was due to violation of Sections 31(1A) (xiii), (xiv) and (xv) of the Act for non-publication of up to date accounts and annual report, non-preparation of documents and accounts in electronic format and non-production of documents and accounts as and when demanded by the Sports Council.

The Petitioner contended that the Technical/ Review Committee constituted by Boxing Federation of India and the Kerala State Sports Council has the power to conduct selections for the State of Kerala until elections are conducted to set up the boxing association. The attempt of the Amateur Boxing Association to disrupt the selection from being conducted by the committee by unauthorisedly conducting the boxing championship without valid recognition from the State Sports Council or valid affiliation with the National Boxing Federation is illegal, the petitioner argued.

Counsel for the Petitioner: Advs. Roshen D. Alexanderd, Tina Alex Thomas, Harimohan

Case Title: D Chandralal V Kerala State Sports Council

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