The Delhi High Court quashed the suspension of Kamlesh Mehta as Secretary General of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). The court found the suspension violated natural justice and appointed retired SC judge Justice Krishna Murari to probe TTFI.
The Delhi High Court on Monday set aside the suspension of veteran table tennis Player Kamlesh Mehta from the post of Secretary General of Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI). It also appointed Justice Krishna Murari as the enquiry authority to inquire into the functioning of TTFI.
The High Court passed the direction on the petition moved by Kamlesh Mehta, who had challenged the order of his suspension. Kamlesh Mehta had challenged the order/minutes of January 28 of the Executive Committee of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI), whereby, declaring him a persona non grata, and suspending him from the post of Secretary General of TTFI pending the outcome of the inquiry to be conducted by the Enquiry Committee.
Court Quashes Suspension Order
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav set aside the suspension order and appointed Justice Murari as the enquiry authority. " The Order declaring the petitioner, the Secretary General of TTFI, as persona non grata and suspending him from his post, is hereby set aside," Justice Kaurav ordered on May 11.
The High Court has also wished that all actions taken in pursuance of the said order, including the constitution of the Enquiry Committee. The bench further directed, "Justice (Retd.) Krishna Murari, Former Judge, Supreme Court of India, is appointed as the Enquiry Authority to inquire into the conduct and functioning of TTFI, including but not limited to the office bearers of the said federation."
The High Court said that the Impugned Order, owing to its not satisfying the most basic principles of natural justice, deserves to be set aside. Further, the circumstances which were presented before the Executive Committee in the ECM and the AGM were not such as would warrant ignoring the principles of natural justice.
" The functioning of TTFI and the nature, as well as the content of the allegations made against two of the highest office bearers of the TTFI, justify an inquiry being conducted in the affairs of the National Sports Federation (NSF)," Justice Kaurav Concluded. However, the court clarified that Further action against the office bearers, including the petitioner, if required, shall be taken by, and would be subject to, the action and inquiry being undertaken by the above-appointed Enquiry Authority.
Background of the Dispute
It was stated that, as per the direction of the Delhi High Court, fresh elections of the Executive Committee of TTFI were held on December 5, 2022, under the aegis of Justice (Retd.) Vineet Saran, who served as the returning officer. The petitioner, in the said elections, was duly elected as the Secretary General of the TTFI, while Meghna Ahlawat assumed the office as the President of the said federation, and as of this date retains that post.
On January 6, the President issued an Executive Committee Meeting (ECM)/Annual General Meeting (AGM) notice scheduling the ECM and AGM for 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM, respectively, on January 28, 2026. The said notice, importantly, claimed that it is being issued by the President herself owing to the petitioner's non-cooperation. In relation to the purported recalcitrance of the petitioner, certain communications also seem to have been entered into between the petitioner and the President.
Legal Arguments
Senior advocate Abhishek Malhotra, counsel appearing for Kamlesh Mehta, had submitted that the impugned Order, and Clause 11(d) of the Memorandum of Association of TTFI (MoA), insofar as it allows a person to be suspended without adherence to the principles of natural justice, are illegal and liable to be quashed; third, the Enquiry Committee, on the face of it, is in violation of the principles of natural justice, as its members are part of the EC. On behalf of TTFI, it was argued that the Order suspending the petitioner was justified owing to the emergent circumstances which were present before the Executive Committee, and Clause 11(d) of the MoA allows for the bypassing of principles of natural justice. (ANI)
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