HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT JAMMU Case No.:- WP(C) No. 1354/2020 CM No. 4283/2020 Indian Power Lifting Federation Through its president Shri Rakesh Jain Age 65 years S/o D.K. Jain R/o 3-A/C Gandhi Nagar, Green Belt Park, Jammu (J&K) …..Petitioner(s) Through: Mr. Ajay Vaid, Advocate. Vs 1. Union of India through Its Secretary, Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Government of India, C-Wing Shastri Bhawan New Delhi-110001, India. 2. Power Lifting India (erstwhile India Power Lifting Federation) Th. its Secretary General Sh. P.J. Joseph S/o Late P.J. Jeseph R/o Midhun Palliparambil, Palace, Ward Alappuzha, Tehsil Ambalappuzha, District Alappuzha, Kerala. Sr. No. 24 2 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 .…. Respondent(s) Through: Mr. Vishal Sharma, DSGI Mr. Irfaan Khan, Advocate. Coram: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY DHAR, JUDGE ORDER 04.08.2025 1. The petitioner, through the medium of the present petition, has sought a direction upon the respondent No. 1 for revocation of suspension order dated 03.10.2017 with a further direction that order dated 19.11.2019, passed pursuant to the direction passed by the High Court of Delhi on 01.12.2017 read with direction dated 21.12.2017, be quashed. 2. The petitioner-Federation claims to have been established in the year 1975 under the name of Indian Powerlifting Federation (IPF), which was registered under the West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961. It has been submitted that the official address of the petitioner-Federation was later on changed to 3-A/C Gandhi Nagar, Green Belt Park, Jammu. According to the petitioner-Federation, it was granted recognition by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and allowed grant-in-aid for organizing and participating in various National and International Powerlifting competitions. 3 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 3. It has been submitted that on 17.08.2017, a communication was addressed by the Secretary General of International Powerlifting Federation to the President of the petitioner- Federation supporting the holding of fresh elections but the President with ulterior motives did not follow the rules and guidelines as a result whereof the International Powerlifting Federation recommended dissolution of the petitioner- Federation. 4. The President of the petitioner-Federation is stated to have constituted an adhoc committee, which was approved by the International Powerlifting Federation on 17.08.2017 until the elections are held to formalize the new Executive Board. It has been submitted that respondent No. 1 issued a letter dated 30.08.2017 whereby recognition of the petitioner-Federation was suspended. The petitioner-Federation is stated to have challenged the said letter by way of the writ petition before the High Court of Delhi. Vide Order dated 01.12.2017 passed by the said Court, respondent No. 1 was directed to pass a speaking order within twelve weeks. Ultimately, respondent No. 1 passed order dated 19.11.2019, which is impugned in this petition wherein it has been provided that recognition of any National Federation for the sport of Powerlifting can be 4 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 granted only on fresh applications, as such, the request of the petitioner-Federation for recognition of National Sports Federation (NSF) for the sport of Powerlifting cannot be stated to be pending before respondent No. 1. 5. It has been submitted that during the period, the petitioner- Federation was communicating with the respondent No. 1 in regard to the revocation of recognition, Shri Rajesh Tiwari, the then President of Indian Powerlifting Federation floated its own organization named as Powerlifting India. It has been further submitted that an application was made by the said Sh. Rajesh Tiwari for change of name before Registrar of Societies, which was not considered by the said authority. It also appears that the petitioner-Federation had filed a civil suit before the Court of learned 1st Additional Munsiff (Forest Magistrate), Jammu against the Powerlifting India in which a stay order has been passed by the said Court. 6. The petitioner has contended that there was no ground for suspending the recognition of the petitioner available to the respondent without conducting a full enquiry into the issue. It has been submitted that the petitioner-Federation has not been granted an opportunity of hearing before passing the order of suspension. It has been further submitted that the 5 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 order of suspension and subsequent order dated 19.11.2019 has been passed without application of mind. 7. Respondent No. 1 in his reply has submitted that the petitioner-Federation was granted annual recognition by the said respondent till 31.12.2017. However, the said recognition was suspended on 03.10.2017 on the ground that both the concerned International Powerlifting Federation and Asian Powerlifting Federation has dissolved the then executive body/office bearers of petitioner-Federation. 8. It has been submitted that on 07.12.2017, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had received a communication from Powerlifting India informing that the adhoc body of said organization has conducted its election for the office bearers on 03.12.2017 and that the general body had agreed to change the name of Indian Powerlifting Federation to Powerlifting India. Accordingly, the respondent No. 1 requested the petitioner-Federation to apply afresh for examination of the case as the status of recognition of the Powerlifting India by its new body is not known. Vide letter dated 16.01.2018, it was informed that International Powerlifting Federation and Asian Powerlifting Federation had accepted the name change. 6 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 9. Respondent No. 1 has further submitted that pursuant to the orders dated 01.12.2017 and 21.12.2017 passed by the High Court of Delhi, the Indian Powerlifting Federation and the Adhoc Committee of Indian Powerlifting Federation were called for meetings and a proper hearing was given to them. After examining the matter, it was found that the petitioner- Federation was suspended on 03.10.2017 on account of dissolution of its body, by International Power Lifting Federation and Asian Power Lifting Federation. It was also found that period of annual recognition of the federation was valid till 31.09.2017. Thus, during the period of suspension, validity of recognition of the petitioner Federation came to an end as a result whereof suspension ceased to have any relevance. 10. It has been further submitted that at present, the petitioner- Federation does not have affiliation of International Powerlifting Federation or Asian Power Lifting Federation and it claims affiliation with International Powerlifting League and Asian Powerlifting League. 11. It has been submitted that recognition of the petitioner- Federation as NSF for Powerlifting sports was granted by the Ministry on the basis of affiliation with International 7 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 Powerlifting Federation and Asian Powerlifting Federation but because it is not affiliated to these international bodies, therefore, it does not fulfill the criteria for obtaining recognition as National Sports Federation (NSF) from the Ministry. 12. It has been claimed that because during the period of suspension of recognition of the petitioner-Federation, validity period of its recognition has come to an end, therefore, only option for the petitioner-Federation is to apply for fresh recognition. 13. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the record of the case. 14. The petitioner has essentially thrown challenge to communication dated 03.10.2017 whereby recognition of the petitioner Federation has been suspended and to order dated 19.11.2019 which has been passed pursuant to the directions passed by the Delhi High Court whereby it has been provided that because validity of recognition of the petitioner-Federation has expired, therefore, the only option available with it is to apply afresh. 8 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 15. In the above context, if we have a look at the provisions contained in National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 which governs the recognition of sports federations, guidelines with regard to suspension of recognition provide that recognition of federation can be suspended as an interim measure inter alia on the ground of suspension of the federation by International or Asian Federation on any grounds whatsoever. 16. A perusal of the impugned communication dated 03.10.2017 issued by the respondent No. 1 reveals that vide letter dated 07.09.2017 issued by the Asian Powerlifting Federation, current body/office bearers of the petitioner-federation has been dissolved and new adhoc body of the petitioner- Federation with Sh. Rajesh Tiwari as President has been formed. Once the current body of office bearers of petitioner- Federation was dissolved by the Asian Powerlifting Federation to which it was affiliated, the guidelines relating to suspension as contained in National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 would get attracted. Thus, there was no option for respondent No. 1 but to suspend recognition of the petitioner Federation. The action taken by respondent No. 1, in terms of 9 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 communication dated 03.10.2017, is therefore, perfectly in accordance with the guidelines holding the field. 17. As per case of respondent No. 1, the validity of recognition of the petitioner Federation was upto 31.12.2017. Thus, during the period of suspension of recognition of the petitioner- Federation, the term of validity of its recognition came to an end. The only option with the petitioner Federation in these circumstances is to apply for fresh recognition. 18. It is pertinent to mention here that as per the Sports Development Code of India, 2011, at national level, there has to be only one recognized federation for each discipline of sport and only the duly recognized National Sports Federation is entitled to financial grants as admissible. It further provides that where an international federation for the sports exists, the National Federation must be affiliated to the respective International Federation and in this regard an attested form has to be provided to respondent No. 1 from the International Federation certifying that National Federation is a member in good standing. 19. In the instant case, the petitioner Federation, at present, is not affiliated either to International Powerlifting Federation or 10 WP(C) No. 1354/2020 Asian Powerlifting Federation which is clear from its own stand. Therefore, respondent No. 1 is well with its powers to ask the petitioner to apply for fresh recognition after completing the requisite formalities. Impugned order dated 19.11.2019, is, therefore, in tune with the guidelines holding the field. The same does not call for any interference by this Court. 20. For the foregoing reasons, I do not find any merit in this petition. The same is dismissed accordingly. (SANJAY DHAR) JUDGE JAMMU 04.08.2025 Naresh/Secy. Whether the order is speaking : Yes Whether the order is reportable : No … Naresh Kumar 2025.08.08 10:57 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Jammu