Kataka: In a significant relief to the Hockey Association of Odisha (HAO), the Orissa High Court has stayed Hockey India’s proposed December 5 elections to its executive committee and office-bearers, along with a show-cause notice that sought to reclassify the state body from a permanent member to an associate member.
A single judge bench of Justice R K Pattanaik passed the interim order on Friday while hearing a writ petition filed by HAO challenging decisions taken at Hockey India’s 119th and 120th executive body meetings on October 6. The stay on the show-cause notice dated October 7, a subsequent notice, and the election schedule will remain in force until the next hearing on December 9, when the matter is listed for final hearing and orders.
The HAO has contested the legality of the October 7 show-cause notice issued by Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh and the subsequent steps taken to hold the elections. Senior advocates P K Rath and R P Kar, appearing for the petitioner, argued that the issuance of the notice and the consequential election process were completely illegal and unsustainable in law.
The state government backed the challenge. Advocate General Pitambar Acharya, appearing with additional government advocate B P Nayak, submitted that Singh lacked the authority to issue the notice because the tenure of Hockey India’s executive committee had already expired on September 30. He noted that the notice proposed reclassifying HAO under Hockey India’s bylaws while the process of aligning district and state associations under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, remained underway, with a December 31 deadline for completing that alignment.
Acharya also highlighted Odisha’s substantial stakes in the matter, including its long-standing sponsorship agreement with Hockey India and the state’s major contributions to the promotion of Indian hockey.
The national federation had cited eight grounds of concern in the show-cause notice, including alleged deficiencies in the functioning of HAO’s 30 district units, where key positions such as president and secretary were held ex officio by administrative officials rather than through elections.
Taking note of the submissions, the court issued notices to the Union government and Hockey India, directing the petitioner to file the required requisites within seven days via speed post. “Considering the plea of the petitioner and submissions of learned counsels for the respective parties, this Court, awaiting response of opposite party No.6, in particular, is inclined to stay the show cause notice issued vide Annexure-2 and the subsequent notice under Annexure-3 besides the election schedule i.e. Annexure-5 till the next date of hearing,” Justice Pattanaik observed.
