Churchill Brother Sports Club Pvt Ltd v. All India Football Federation Aiff & ORS.
$~53 & 55 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 3981/2026 & CM APPL. 19504/2026 CHURCHILL BROTHER SPORTS CLUB PVT LTD .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Ravi Prakash, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Ranjeet Pawar, Ms. Niharika Tiwari, Mr. Ayush Yadav and Ms.
Astu Khandelwal, Advocates.
versus ALL INDIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION AIFF & ORS.
.....Respondents Through:
Mr. Abhijat Bal, Sr. Advocate with Mr.
Vidushpat Singhania, Ms.
Aashita Khanna and Mr. Neil M.
Goswami Advocates for R-1 to 3.
+ W.P.(C) 4064/2026 & CM APPL. 19961/2026 CHURCHILL BROTHER SPORTS CLUB PVT LTD .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Ravi Prakash, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Ranjeet Pawar, Ms. Niharika Tiwari, Mr. Ayush Yadav and Ms.
Astu Khandelwal, Advocates.
versus ALL INDIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION & ANR. .....Respondents Through:
Mr. Abhijat Bal, Sr. Advocate with Mr.
Vidushpat Singhania, Ms.
Aashita Khanna and Mr. Neil M.
Goswami Advocates for R-1 & 2.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV
O R D E R
% 01.04.2026 1.
The petitions are for the following reliefs:
" W.P.(C) 3981/2026:
I. Issue a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction directing setting aside of the present proceedings in regard of the Representation dated 14.03.2026 and constitute an independent, neutral and impartial committee, preferably under the supervision of a retired Judge of a High Court, to examine and adjudicate upon the Petitioner's representation dated 14.03.2026. II. Issue a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction directing that Respondent No. 2, Kalyan Chaubey, shall not, directly or indirectly, participate in or influence any proceedings, decisions or processes relating to the Petitioner's representation or any subject matter connected therewith;
III. Pass such further orders or directions as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the interest of justice. W.P.(C) 4064/2026:
A. Issue a writ of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction for setting aside of the present proceedings in regard of the Representation dated 16.01.2026 and to constitute an independent, neutral and impartial committee, preferably under the supervision of a retired Judge of a High Court, to examine and adjudicate upon the Petitioner's representation dated 16.01.2026 and Counter Complaint filed by Inter Kashi FC.
B. Pass such further order(s) as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case." 2.
The Court vide order dated 08.01.2026 in W.P.(C) 14408/2025 and another connected matter, issued the following directions: "8. ....
(i) Let the petitioner and respondent no. 2 to submit their comprehensive representations within a period of seven days from today, enclosing all documents including the earlier complaints which they had made. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
(ii) On receipt of the comprehensive representations, respondent no.1 is directed to deal with the same after affording opportunity of hearing to both of them.
(iii) Let respondent no.1 to pass a speaking order dealing with their grievances within a period of four weeks from the date of conclusion of the hearing.
(iv) It will be up to the respondent no.1 as to how the complaints will have to be decided."
3.
It be noted that those directions were necessary, keeping in mind the various submissions made by the parties, i.e., the petitioner herein, and Avimukta Sports Private Limited ('Inter Kashi FC'). 4.
There were allegations and counter allegations, and therefore, in order to put a quietus to the litigation, the complaints filed by both the parties were directed to be decided by respondent no. 1, i.e., All India Football Federation ('AIFF').
5.
It appears that despite Court directions, the said complaints were not dealt with, and the petitioner was constrained to file Cont. Cas. (C) 357/2026, wherein, the Court directed for issuance of notice. Thereafter, the petitioner claims to have become aware that an Ethics and Dispute Resolution Committee ('Committee') has been constituted by Respondent no.1.
6.
The petitioner had certain grievances against some of the members of the Committee and according to the petitioner, on account of conflict of interest, those members should not continue to adjudicate the complaints. The petitioner has also made a specific complaint against respondent no. 2President of AIFF. The petitioner vehemently submits that unless an independent grievance redressal mechanism looks into the petitioner's complaint, an appropriate decision may not be taken. 7.
In Cont. Cas. (C) 357/2026, on 26.03.2026, this Court took note of the The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
fact that one of the members of the Committee, namely Mr. Ranjit Kumar Pachnanda, had certain conflict of interest in the matter. It is submitted on behalf of the respondents that Mr. R.K. Pachnanda had since recused himself from the Committee. Further, two other members of the Committee, namely, Mr. Sudarshan Kumar Agarwal and Mr. Diwakar Thite are also stated to have opted out of the Committee. Mr. Abhijat Bal, learned senior counsel for the respondents, submits that on account of the aforesaid, the Committee was required to be reconstituted.
8.
He submits that the Committee has since been reconstituted and Hon'ble Justice (Retd.) Shekhar Dhavan, former Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana has been recommended for induction, along with the Mr. Ayush Jain, Advocate, Delhi High Court.
9.
It is thus, his submission that in view of the new nominations in the Committee and the same being subject to ratification by the General Body, the grievance of the petitioner, so far as the composition of the Committee is concerned, stands fully mitigated. He also submits that, in any case, if the petitioner is aggrieved by the decision of the Committee, it may prefer an appeal before the Appellate Authority. He submits that the Appellate Authority is chaired by a retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India, with the Deputy Chairperson being a retired Judge of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
10.
The Court, however, finds that allegations raising fundamental concerns about the functioning of the Committee have been leveled by the petitioner, as also the role of the President in the entire process. Considering that all decisions have to be routed through the President of AIFF, in order to have a fair and effective grievance redressal mechanism, for the limited The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
purpose of adjudicating the complaints by the petitioner and Inter Kashi F.C., the Court deems it appropriate to appoint Justice Rekha Palli, former Judge of this Court, as the Chairman of the Ethics and Dispute Resolution Committee.
11.
The other members of the Committee shall be Mr. Akshay Makhija, Senior Advocate, Mr. Ashok Tripathi, who is a retired Principal District and Sessions Judge. The two additional members shall be inducted in consultation with all the three members.
12.
As has been directed by this Court on 08.01.2026, the same would not amount to interference in the affairs of the AIFF as this ad hoc arrangement is necessary, keeping in mind the submissions made by the parties. 13.
It would also not mean that the Court has assumed any malice or mala fide on the part of the respondents. This arrangement is made without prejudice to the rights and contentions made by the parties. 14.
Let the complaints be decided with due expedition within a period of two months from the date of convening of the first meeting. 15.
The remuneration of the Chairperson of the Committee and the Members shall be at their discretion and the same shall be paid by the AIFF. 16.
With the aforesaid observations and directions, the instant petitions stand disposed of along with all pending applications. PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV, J APRIL 1, 2026/Sh/ss The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.