The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has been the den of many a corrupt activity during the regime of its many previous presidents, especially the Late Akhilesh Das Gupta (see India Legal had expose: The Badminton Racket). Now the allegation is how can Assam’s minister Hemant Biswa Sharma can be the association’s president when the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Board of Control for India (BCCI) states that this cannot be so, extended to other sports organizations in the country as well.

The apex court has agreed to hear the case and on Monday (March 5) issued notice to the BAI. The court wants to decide if this case can be deemed as similar to the BCCI case, wherein the same rules can be applied.

It has been said in the petition that the appointment of Sharma is in violation of the order of the court in which the court had said no minister or government servant can be part of any sports institution. The application demands reform in the BAI as per the Lodha committee recommendations.

—India Legal Bureau