By Vishal Bharti
New Delhi, Aug 17 (UNI) In a clear message to all state and union Territory football associations whose elections are overdue, including the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA), the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has set October 20 as the deadline for conducting elections.
Failure to comply could jeopardise their affiliation with the AIFF and participation in AIFF-led national competitions under the new National Sports Governance Act (NSGA).
Elections to the JKFA have been pending since 2022 due to administrative disputes, court cases and prolonged ad hoc arrangements.
As per reports, recently, regional stakeholders and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) have recently exchanged letters and held meetings to align the JKFA constitution with the AIFF model and pave the way for free and fair democratic elections.
Speaking exclusively to UNI, AIFF Deputy Secretary General M Satyanarayan said, “If by Oct 20, elections in all the State/UT units having their polls pending, including the JKFA, are not conducted, as per the NSGA their affiliations with the AIFF will be jeopardised.”
“If stakeholders, including officials, clubs and district associations in the State, understand and come together under a new constitution on the lines of the AIFF constitution, elections may be conducted, and the JKFA can restore its status of participating in all administrative and football activities,” Satyanarayan said.
He said it would be difficult for the AIFF to allow teams from an association that was not governed by a duly and transparently elected body to participate in national competitions under the AIFF banner.
“When FIFA bans a member association, their national team cannot take part in international events, and the same applies to state bodies,” he said, adding that the AIFF had given the associations sufficient time and that most had expressed their willingness to conduct elections within the deadline.
“We will soon appoint Returning Officers with the help of the state MAs under the three-member AIFF election panel, and by next week they will try to reach out to various States/UTs. After the smooth conduct of the elections, whoever wins, let them run the state associations,” he said.
Satyanarayan further clarified that the electoral exercise was mandatory and that no ad hoc body or committee would be permitted to continue running a state association after the October 20 deadline.
“All associations, including the J&K Football Association, elected democratically, will be considered affiliated units of the AIFF,” he said.
“Three months, from August to October, is sufficient to complete the exercise, and we have circulated the draft of the Constitution adopted by the AIFF, and the same has to be a model for all the state associations,” Satyanarayan said.
He urged sports administrators to work together to install elected bodies through a transparent and democratic process.
“We want all sports administrators to deal properly and democratically install elected bodies, but in case of unending disputes, AIFF will decide as per the Constitution,” he said.
He added that if “the so-called leaders are not interested in the welfare of their own players and continue fighting for their own seats, the genuine stakeholders must come forward and facilitate the electoral process.”
“There is plenty of talent in football, and it is not the AIFF but the state units that are handling the associations, so the clubs must unite to hold elections,” he said.
Satyanarayan also said there was no longer any need to rely on prolonged court proceedings, as the National Sports Tribunal had been established as a dedicated adjudicatory body for sports-related disputes.
On the One-District-One-Vote issue, he said, “The state clubs (district units) have to agree with one voice, and 50 per cent voting of the total active districts is required to constitute the state association.”
The union government in May this year notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026 and the National Sports Governance (National Sports Tribunal) Rules, 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
The National Sports Governance (National Sports Board) Rules, 2026 provide for a central authority responsible for granting recognition to National Sports Bodies and ensuring compliance with governance, financial and ethical standards.
The National Sports Tribunal, meanwhile, is intended to serve as a dedicated adjudicatory body for sports-related disputes and reduce reliance on civil courts by providing an independent, speedy, effective and cost-efficient mechanism for resolving matters related to sports governance and administration.
The Tribunal is also expected to reduce multiple rounds of litigation and provide a single-window mechanism for faster and more accessible resolution of sports disputes.
On August 9, a joint meeting of football stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir discussed the prevailing situation and the way forward for restoring democratic, united and effective football administration in the union Territory.
The meeting deliberated on the JKFA elections, the reasons for the prolonged delay, possible solutions to the existing issues, the constitutional position of the association and the future course of action.
The stakeholders also met AIFF officials at its New Delhi headquarters to discuss the upcoming JKFA elections, the complications involved and possible challenges and hurdles.
The stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to working collectively towards the revival and development of football in Jammu and Kashmir in the larger interest of the sport and its players.
UNI VBH AAB