New Delhi, April 1, Acting on the February 18 directive of Justice Purshushaindra Kumar Kaurav of the Delhi High Court, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formed a four-member ad hoc committee to manage the affairs of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI).
Former Madhya Pradesh Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, will head the committee, which includes International Equestrian Federation Director (Governance), Francisco Lima, advocate Vidushpat Singhania, and former EFI Joint Secretary (Technical), Col. AK Yadav.
"The IOA hereby establishes an Ad-Hoc Committee, effective immediately, to administer and govern EFI and to initiate a reform process so that independent elections can be held in EFI and a duly elected Executive Committee can administer EFI," IOA chief PT Usha stated in the Office Order.
"The Ad-Hoc Committee shall align the EFI Constitution and By-Laws with the National Sports Governance Act 2025 and the Rules 2026; restructure the General Body and membership framework in accordance with the law; ensure that the Constitutions and By-Laws of all affiliated State Units are compliant; conduct free, fair, and transparent elections to the Athletes Commission; and ensure the lawful constitution of the electoral college," it added.
According to the order, the Ad-Hoc Committee shall finalize the Constitution and By-Laws within two (2) months, notify elections within thirty (30) days thereafter, and ensure that such elections are conducted in an independent, fair, and transparent manner; upon completion of this process, the duly elected body shall assume charge forthwith.
For years, EFI has faced legal challenges due to governance failures, factionalism, and non-compliance with the sports code. The last time elections were held and results declared – as an interim measure by an order of the High Court – was back in 2019, but the leadership was short-lived; by 2022, most of the elected officials had either stepped down or been forced out of their positions.
However, in 2024, the Divisional Bench of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the appointment of the Ad-hoc Administrative Committee (AAC) and brought back the 20-member Executive Committee that had come into existence in the 2019 elections.