The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the Punjab and Haryana high court’s order staying the elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) after a stakeholder – Andhra Pradesh Amateur Wrestling Association – submitted that not holding the elections had caused “national shame” as WFI has been suspended by the global wrestling body, United World Wrestling, ahead of the World Championships from September 16 to 24.
A bench of justices AS Oka and Pankaj Mithal asked the petitioner to approach the Punjab and Haryana high court, which had stayed the August 11 election on a petition filed by Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA).
The bench said, “Instead of applying to the high court for interim relief, the petitioner has chosen to file this appeal on August 17. We decline to entertain this special leave petition. However, it will be open for the petitioner to be impleaded before the high court and file an application for vacation of stay.”
Appearing for the Andhra Pradesh wrestling body, senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu informed the Supreme Court that the stay had led to the suspension of WFI by the world body. “This is a national shame,” Naidu said, adding that at the World Championships (in Belgrade), an Olympic qualifying event, Indian wrestlers will not be permitted to compete under the Indian flag and will instead be entered as “neutral athletes”.
The Court asked Naidu to move an application before the high court and seek vacation of its order. The bench said, “We are sure that the high court will give necessary importance to the matter.” The Punjab and Haryana HC stay came on HWA’s petition questioning the inclusion of Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association in the electoral college. The HWA was represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar before the top court.
In its petition before the HC, the HWA headed by Congress Member of Parliament Deepender Singh Hooda claimed that while the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association is affiliated to WFI, it is not affiliated with Haryana Olympic Association and hence not eligible to participate in the voting process.
The WFI has been in the news since its former chief, Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was accused of sexual harassment by top women wrestlers. The Delhi police registered an FIR after the wrestlers approached the top court. Its chargesheet was filed at the Rouse Avenue Court, where the case is being heard.
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