New Delhi: On Friday, the Delhi High Court issued a notice regarding a petition submitted by four state associations that seek the removal of Anil Dhupar from his position as secretary-general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA).

A bench led by Justice Mini Pushkarna requested Dhupar to provide a response to the petition filed by the state units of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, and Haryana, scheduling the next hearing for April 4.

The petition claims that Dhupar's continued service in this role beyond the age of 70 contravenes the age restrictions established by the National Sports Code for officials of federations. Furthermore, it argues that his actions have been harmful to the integrity of Indian tennis, as he has repeatedly criticized Indian players and officials.

The application asserts, "It is clear that Dhupar's ongoing role as general secretary of the AITA constitutes a direct breach of the sports code and undermines the principles of good governance intended for the management of sports organizations."

This application is part of a broader plea initiated by former Indian tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja, who are contesting the conduct of elections and requesting a comprehensive affidavit to address the allegations. The players have claimed that AITA is conducting elections in violation of the sports code. On September 24, the high court declined to stay the elections (which took place on September 28) but prohibited the poll officer from announcing the results, stating that the elections would be contingent upon the outcome of the petition. In December, the court maintained its stay order.

The application argues that Dhupar has exploited the court's September 24 ruling to unlawfully extend his tenure.

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