The Union government has finally come forward, extending cooperation to the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) by taking responsibility to solve the ongoing stalemate in the Indian Super League (ISL).

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the apex court on Friday that the government has taken stock of the crisis that the AIFF faces after a failed tender process for monetization of the country’s premier league.

He assured a special bench of Justices PS Narasimha and J Bagchi that the government is committed to providing relief to the players and clubs and would find a way for the tournament to be held.

Mehta said that the concerned minister is “fully aware” of the situation and has clarified that the “ISL must be held. How it is to be held, what sponsors, who will finance, etc, can be left to the government. The government would intervene to ensure that the ISL is held and our players are not put to any disadvantage,” he said during the hearing.

“We will ensure that players are not put at any disadvantage due to a lack of sponsors or a lack of club owners. The government’s role, though, shouldn’t be too overbearing to give the impression of interference, the bench pointed out.

“We don’t want to put the impression that the government is again interfering. It is only to tide over the situation,” the justices said.

“Absolutely, otherwise, we have no role,” Mehta agreed, adding the government will bear in mind that “anything being done should be in conformity with FIFA regulation so that we may not fall foul of that”.

Twelve ISL clubs had appealed to the Supreme Court for a speedy resolution, while Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had met representatives of I-League clubs on 13th November in New Delhi and was apprised of concerns over the football season.

Amicus Curiae Gopal Sankaranarayanan advised the Centre to engage with clubs while also recommending a dialogue with the four potential bidders, who had attended pre-bid meetings.

The Court agreed on Mehta’s request for time to come up with a solution and said it would again hear the matter after two weeks, keeping in mind AIFF’s current 15-year commercial partnership with Reliance-subsidiary FSDL ends on 8th December.

The AIFF, having pledged to submit an affidavit to the Court, has called for a special general meeting to vote on the disputed co-existing membership on 24th November.