The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has declared the Pakistan Badminton Federation (PBF) elections held on October 24, 2025 illegal and null and void. On Saturday, the court ordered the federation to hold fresh elections within 90 days.
The court also directed the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to notify an Election Commission and conduct the new polls under Rule 17 of the Pakistan Sports Board Constitution 2022. The entire electoral process, from announcing the schedule to declaring results, must be completed within the same 90-day period.
Ad hoc committee to oversee federation affairs
The court ordered the formation of an ad hoc committee headed by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination. The Director of National Sports Federations of the PSB will sit on the committee as a member, along with one former badminton champion each from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Balochistan.
The committee will manage the federation’s day-to-day affairs until the newly elected body formally takes charge, the court said.
Petitioner’s challenge over the election process
The petitioner argued that the rules governing National Sports Federations require management committee elections to be held exclusively through an Election Commission notified by the PSB under Rule 17. The petitioner had earlier approached a panel of adjudicators, which directed the PBF and the PSB to ensure a free and transparent vote through that mechanism.
The petitioner alleged that, despite those directions, the federation notified its own Election Commission and went ahead with the October 24, 2025 polls. The petitioner further contended that the elections were held without proper advertisement and without following the prescribed criteria. It was also pointed out that all candidates declared successful had been elected unopposed.
