All India Football Federation v. Churchill Brothers Sports Club Pvt. Ltd. & Anr

TEJAS KARIA, J APRIL 28, 2026 "shailndra"

* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + Date of Decision: 28.04.2026 % LPA 321/2026 & CM APPLs. 28168-70/2026 ALL INDIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION .....Appellant Through: Mr.Tanmaya Mehta with Ms.Aashita Khanna, Mr.Neil M Goswami, Mr.Vidushpat Singhania, Mr.Ritwik Prakash, Ms.Aanya Agarwal, Advs. versus CHURCHILL BROTHERS SPORTS CLUB PVT. LTD. & ANR. ......Respondents Through: Mr.Ravi Prakash, Sr.Adv. with Ms.Niharika Tiwari and Mr.Ranjeet Pawar, Advs. for R-1. % LPA 322/2026 & CM APPLs. 28175-77/2026 ALL INDIA FOOTBALL FEDERATION .....Appellant Through: Mr.Tanmaya Mehta with Ms.Aashita Khanna, Mr.Neil M Goswami, Mr.Vidushpat Singhania, Mr.Ritwik Prakash, Ms.Aanya Agarwal, Advs. versus CHURCHILL BROTHERS SPORTS CLUB PVT. LTD. & ORS. ......Respondents Through: Mr.Ravi Prakash, Sr.Adv. with Ms.Niharika Tiwari and Mr.Ranjeet Pawar, Advs. for R-1. CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, CJ. (ORAL) 1. Heard the learned counsel for the appellant, Sh. Tanmaya Mehta and Sh. Ravi Prakash, learned senior counsel representing the respondent no.1 and perused the record available before us on these appeals. 2. Since both the appeals arise out of the same judgment and order dated 01.04.2026 passed by learned Single Judge in W.P.(C) 3981/2026 and W.P.(C) 4064/2026, both have been heard together and are being decided by the common judgment which follows: 3. Before adverting to the respective submissions made by learned counsel representing the parties, we may note certain facts which are essential for proper adjudication of the controversy involved in these appeals. 4. The respondent no.1 instituted W.P.(C) 3981/2026 with the prayer to set aside the proceedings in respect of representation dated 14.03.2026 and to constitute an independent, neutral and impartial committee, preferably under the supervision of a retired Judge of the High Court, to examine and adjudicate the representation dated 14.03.2026 preferred by the respondent no.1. Another prayer made in the writ petition was that a direction be issued to the respondent no.2 in the Writ Petition that he shall not, directly or indirectly, participate in or influence any proceedings, decisions or processes relating to the representation preferred by the respondent no.1 or any subject matter connected with the same. 5. W.P.(C) 4064/2026 was instituted by the respondent no.1 with the prayer for setting aside the proceedings in respect of the representation dated 16.01.2026 with a further prayer to constitute an independent, neutral and impartial committee, preferably under the supervision of retired Judge of a High Court, to adjudicate the representation dated 16.01.2026 preferred by the respondent no.1 and counter complaint filed by Inter Kashi FC. 6. Prior to instituting the aforesaid two writ petitions, the respondent no.1 had filed a W.P.(C) 14408/2025, which was disposed of by learned Single Judge vide order dated 08.01.2026, whereby it was provided that the respondent no.1 shall submit their comprehensive representations enclosing all the documents, including earlier complaints, and on receipt of such representations, the appellant will deal with the same after affording opportunity of hearing to the parties. The Court also directed the respondent no.1 to pass a speaking order dealing with the grievances raised by the parties. The learned Single Judge in his order dated 08.01.2026 further observed that it will be open to the appellant to determine as to how the complaints/representations will be decided. 7. It appears that in compliance of the order dated 08.01.2026 passed by learned Single Judge in W.P.(C) 14408/2025, the complaints/representations were not decided by the appellant, which led to filing of CONT.CAS.(C) 357/2026. In the said contempt case, notices were ordered to be issued, whereupon the Ethics and Dispute Resolution Committee (Ethics Committee) was constituted by the appellant. The respondent no.1 appears to have raised ce