Delhi HC Holds Hockey India Secretary General for Contempt

The Hon’ble Delhi High Court, in Syeed Asima Ali v. Hockey India & Ors. (CONT.CAS(C) 1119/2025, judgment dated April 20, 2026), held Hockey India and its Secretary General, Mr. Bhola Nath Singh, guilty of civil contempt for “wilful disobedience” of judicial directions requiring the petitioner to be permitted participation in Executive Board meetings of Hockey India.

The proceedings arose from an interim order dated January 17, 2025, passed in a pending writ petition filed by Ms Syeed Asima Ali, who claimed to be the elected Vice President of Hockey India. In the writ petition, the petitioner had challenged the eligibility of Mr. Bhola Nath Singh to continue as Secretary General under the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 and the Delhi High Court’s ruling in Rahul Mehra v. Union of India W.P. (C) 195/2010 dated August 16, 2022.

While disposing of the interim application in the writ proceedings, the Court directed Hockey India to provide the petitioner with the requisite links enabling her to participate in all Executive Board meetings, subject to an undertaking that the meeting links and deliberations would not be shared with third parties.

The present contempt petition alleged that Hockey India deliberately failed to provide meeting links for Executive Board meetings held on July 4, 2025 and July 27, 2025, despite the subsisting judicial directions.

The respondents defended their conduct on the ground that the petitioner’s parent club, i.e., Young Khalsa Sports Club, Srinagar, had been de-affiliated from Hockey J&K, and that on July 03, 2025, Hockey J&K informed Hockey India that the petitioner would no longer be a recognised representative of Hockey J&K.

Rejecting this defence, the Court held that parties cannot unilaterally interpret or dilute binding judicial directions on the basis of their own understanding of subsequent events. The Court observed that if the respondents believed later developments warranted modification of the original order, the appropriate course was to approach the Court for clarification or modification before acting contrary to the order.

Moreover, the Court further found it significant that the agenda for Hockey India’s Executive Board meeting dated July 4, 2025, included a discussion regarding the petitioner’s status even before the relevant communications from Hockey J&K were formally issued. The Court remarked that the circumstances indicated possible collusion and an attempt to avoid compliance with the Court’s order.

The Court also examined the apology tendered by Mr. Bhola Nath Singh and found it to be belated and inadequate, noting that the apology affidavit was presented “approximately after 250 days from the filing of the petition”.

Accordingly, finding deliberate and conscious non-compliance with its earlier directions, the Court held Hockey India and Mr. Bhola Nath Singh guilty of contempt of court.