Delhi HC disposes of contempt plea against AITA office-bearers

The Delhi High Court, on Friday, disposed of the contempt petition filed by players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja against the All India Tennis Association’s (AITA) interim office-bearers after the AITA gave an undertaking that all information sought by administrator Justice (retd.) Gita Mittal has been provided, and that it would continue to do so until the end of the administrator’s tenure (November 27).

To Justice Mittal’s request to implead the AITA Trust and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association for corruption, the HC is learnt to have said that the allegations could be probed by the new AITA body that will take charge after elections, and it could re-engage Justice Mittal if required.

The administrator, in a report dated September 14, had submitted to the Court that looking into the matters of the AITA Trust was a necessary step under her Court-mandated “obligation to supervise the financial affairs of AITA” because the AITA had “assigned and abdicated all its functions, properties and income to the AITA Trust”.

Polls under the amended AITA Constitution are scheduled to be held on November 27, with the filing of nominations for the Executive Committee and Athletes Committee elections beginning on Saturday. The Delhi HC is scheduled to hear the matter again on January 22, 2027, and all actions pertaining to amending the Constitution in line with the National Sports Governance Act and elections will be subject to the final outcome of the case.