MUMBAI, Oct. 10 -- The Bombay high court has appointed retired high court judge justice P K Chavan as administrator of the Maharashtra State Kabaddi Association, after observing that its executive committee - whose term ended in October 2023 - continued to run the body without holding elections. A division bench of justice M S Sonak criticised the committee for attempting to retain control in violation of the National Sports Code and ignoring binding directives issued by the Delhi High Court regarding its implementation for kabaddi associations. "The previous executive committee, which aims to maintain power, is unwilling to implement the Sports Code despite explicit directives from the Hon'ble Delhi High Court concerning its relevance," the bench observed. "By not applying these norms, the committee members sought to retain control by postponing elections for as long as possible. As a result, from October 2023 to October 2025, they have clung to power for nearly two years," the court said, declaring their continuation illegal. The court directed the committee to cease functioning immediately and hand over the charge to justice Chavan within 15 days. It also restrained the members from taking any policy decisions or spending association funds, except for routine expenditure. The administrator has been tasked with conducting fresh elections within four months. The order was passed on a petition filed by Sachit Anand Bhosale, who challenged the association's election schedule announced last year, alleging it violated the Sports Code and the Delhi HC's directions on the governance of kabaddi bodies. The court held that even a general body resolution cannot override the Sports Code or court directives. "Based upon such reasons, the earlier executive committee whose term expired in October 2023 cannot cling to power in defiance of democratic norms and legal procedures," the bench said....