NEW DELHI: The All India Tennis Association (AITA) announced on Sunday that it has adopted a new constitution fully compliant with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, making it one of the first National Sports Federations (NSFs) in India to align with the legislation. The federation also directed all affiliated state associations to amend their constitutions by December 31, 2026, to maintain their affiliation.
The amendments were approved during an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) in New Delhi, which lasted from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. The meeting was attended by 47 members from 28 affiliated units, with voting conducted via secret ballot. The session was chaired by AITA President Chintan Parikh and opened with remarks from Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal, the court-appointed Administrator, who called it a historic milestone.
Two draft amendments were considered: one prepared by the Court-appointed Administrator and another by the AITA Executive Committee. The proposals included significant governance reforms, such as increasing the number of votes each state association holds—now two delegates, each with one vote. The Administrator had initially proposed one vote per state and voting rights for associate members, but the final decision gave each state two votes.
The meeting also introduced four Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM)—two men and two women—elected from a roster of 40 former tennis players, and nominated two para-tennis players from wheelchair tennis, each with one vote, to ensure greater athlete representation.
Debates also centered on age limits, with some members supporting a maximum age of 70 or 75 years; the final decision will be announced soon. The restructured Executive Committee will comprise 15 members, including key office-bearers, athlete representatives, and a minimum of 25% women, ensuring better gender parity.
The amended constitution emphasizes collective decision-making, reducing authority concentration in a single office-bearer. It introduces provisions like an Independent Dispute Resolution Committee, Ethics Committee, and Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, aligning governance with international standards.
The reforms follow a June 18 Delhi High Court directive, which ordered the federation to consider amendments clause-by-clause and conduct fresh elections under the new framework by September 30. The court’s order was based on a petition challenging the 2024 elections, filed by players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja, alleging violations of the National Sports Development Code. The final approval of the amendments marks a crucial step in strengthening governance within Indian sports federations.