Tennis

Delhi High Court Disposes of Contempt Plea Against AITA Officials

  • Authored By: Sports Now
  • Updated Nov 11, 2026, 00:11 IST

The Delhi High Court has closed a contempt petition against AITA office-bearers after the association pledged to cooperate with administrator Justice Gita Mittal until the upcoming November elections.

Delhi High Court Disposes of Contempt Plea Against AITA Officials

The Delhi High Court has officially disposed of a contempt petition brought against the interim office-bearers of the All India Tennis Association (AITA). The legal challenge, initiated by tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja, reached a resolution on Friday following a formal undertaking provided by the association to the court.

Under the terms of the agreement, the AITA has confirmed that all documentation and information requested by the court-appointed administrator, Justice (retd.) Gita Mittal, have been fully supplied. Furthermore, the association has committed to maintaining this level of cooperation and transparency until the conclusion of the administrator’s current tenure, which is set for November 27.

Addressing Allegations and Future Governance

The proceedings also touched upon broader concerns regarding the financial oversight of the organization. Justice Mittal had previously requested that the AITA Trust and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association be impleaded in the case to address allegations of corruption. In her report submitted on September 14, the administrator emphasized that investigating the AITA Trust was essential to her court-mandated duty to supervise the financial affairs of the national body, noting that the AITA had effectively abdicated its functions, properties, and income to the trust.

Regarding these specific allegations, the High Court indicated that such matters would be better suited for investigation by the newly elected body that is slated to take control following the upcoming polls. The court suggested that the incoming administration could choose to re-engage Justice Mittal for this purpose if deemed necessary. The election process, conducted under the amended AITA Constitution, is scheduled for November 27, with the nomination period for the Executive and Athletes Committees opening this Saturday.

Ongoing Legal Oversight

While the contempt petition has been disposed of, the broader legal oversight remains active. The Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for January 22, 2027. All procedural actions taken by the association, including constitutional amendments aligned with the National Sports Governance Act and the execution of the elections, will remain subject to the final outcome of these ongoing proceedings.