SC sets aside stay imposed by Punjab & Haryana HC on WFI elections

The top court had earlier sought the response of the Centre and others on a plea by the ad-hoc committee constituted to run the WFI challenging a stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on holding elections to the wrestling body.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the Punjab and Haryana High Court order, which imposed a stay on holding of elections to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal asked the pending writ petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association, by an interim order, how the high court could have stayed the election of WFI.

“We fail to understand how the entire process of the election could have been set at naught by HC. The proper course would have been to allow the election to be conducted and make the election subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition," the bench said.

The apex court set aside the high court order.

The bench said that it will be open for returning officer to proceed with the election by publishing a revised election programme.

The bench made it clear that the outcome of the election will be subject to orders that may be passed in the petition.

The ad-hoc Committee Wrestling Federation of India moved the apex court challenging the September order of the high court putting the elections on hold.

Earlier, the apex court had sought reply from the Centre and others on the plea challenging a stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.