Nagaland boxing showdown: High Court throws stay punch at BFI’s ad hoc committee move

DIMAPUR — In what could be described as a knockout round in Nagaland’s boxing administration, the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has stayed the Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) decision to constitute an ad hoc committee to manage the affairs of Nagaland Amateur Boxing Association (NABA).

The interim stay, passed by Justice Yarenjungla Longkumer on June 27, came in response to a petition filed by T Meren Paul, president of NABA, and Imtisunep Ao, its general secretary.

During the case’s latest hearing on Thursday, October 9, the judge ordered that the interim stay will continue until the next hearing. She also granted the respondents three weeks’ time to file their counter-affidavit.

The petitioners contended that the BFI’s move to appoint a three-member ad hoc committee on June 18 effectively removed them from office without due process.

According to the petition, NABA, which is affiliated to the BFI at the national level and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) at the apex level, last conducted its elections in 2020.

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“The term of the present office bearers expired on July 31, 2024 and the elections for the next office bearers will be held sometime in July/August 2025. Therefore, the petitioners are still functioning as office bearers of the said NABA,” it stated.

The petitioners argued that the executive director of the BFI, who signed the impugned notice, has “no legal authority or jurisdiction” under BFI’s constitution to dissolve or replace the elected body.

They further submitted that, as per Rule 26.1 of the IOA’s memorandum and regulations, disaffiliation or suspension of any state association must follow a proper show-cause procedure and cannot be enforced unilaterally.

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In its June 27 order, the court issued notices to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the IOA, the BFI, and the executive director of the Interim Committee, returnable within four weeks. It also stayed the BFI’s June 18 notice pending further hearing.

“In the interim, the notice dated June 18, 2025 issued by the executive director and member, Interim Committee, Boxing Federation of India shall remain stayed till the next returnable date,” the order stated.

The ad hoc committee, according to the impugned notice, was tasked with administering NABA’s daily affairs, selecting teams for national championships, affiliating district associations, aligning NABA’s constitution with that of the BFI, and conducting elections for the new Executive Council.

The matter will be taken up after three weeks.