The daily functioning of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) could get badly hampered once the parent body adopts the new constitution.

The constitution was approved by a two-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Joymalya Bagchi, on September 19.

The AIFF has called a special general meeting on October 12 to approve the new constitution. However, the one-man-one-post clause in the judgment could have wide ramifications.

A glut of functionaries will have to vacate their posts in the member association they represent to remain in the AIFF, or leave the parent body to keep their post in the state association.

The names include president Kalyan Chaubey (Gujarat), vice-president NA Haris (Karnataka), Kipa Ajay (Arunachal Pradesh), Menla Ethenpa (Sikkim), Lalnghinglova ‘Tetea’ Hmar (Mizoram) and Avijit Paul (Odisha).

The officials may not be ready to relinquish their posts in the state body.

“A person may choose AIFF over the member association. But what happens once is term ends in the parent body? He will have to start afresh in the state association. Nobody would like to do that,” someone in the know of the things told The Telegraph.

The crisis could call for a forced election, but that may not help, as whoever takes charge will be averse to give up the post in the state the person will be coming from.

Article 25.2 of the new constitution says on the executive committee. “In the event a person is elected as an Office-Bearer in the Executive Committee of the AIFF
and holds a position of an Office-Bearer in a Member Association, he/ she shall automatically be deemed to have vacated his/ her position in the Member Association.

“Similarly, in the event that a person is elected as an Office-Bearer in a Member Association and holds a position of an Office-Bearer in the Executive Committee of the AIFF, he/ she shall automatically be deemed to have vacated his/ her position in the Member Association.”

Interestingly, Fifa does not have any problem with an individual enjoying the dual post. Of its eight vice-presidents, six are heads of their respective continental confederations.

“Yes, there is a crisis AIFF will have to deal with,” the person said. “The road ahead is bumpy. The relief of an end to seven years of court battle has made way to a sombre mood across the board.”

The AIFF has 22 members, 16 from the member associations and six co-opted former footballers, in the executive committee. Of the 16 officials, only Valanka Alemao can breathe easy since she is no longer part of the Goa Football Association.

There is trouble for some of the former footballers who are part of the executive committee. The strict conflict of interest clause may force them to vacate their post in the AIFF too.

Meeting today

The executive committee of the AIFF will meet in the capital on Tuesday where professional service firm KPMG will make a presentation of the draft Request for Quotation/Request for Proposal for the top-tier league.

There will be a discussion on the tender matter and the approval of the annual accounts.