Chapter I PRELIMINARY

(1) This Act may be called the Kerala Sports Act, 2000. (2)It extends to the whole State of Kerala. (3)It shall come into force on such date as the Government may by notification, appoint, and different dates, may be appointed for different areas and for different provisions of this Act and any reference to the commencement of this Act in relation to any areas, shall be construed as a reference to the commencement of that provisions in that area.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise require,- (i)“Appellate Tribunal” means the Appellate Tribunal constituted under section 41; (ii) [***] (iii) “Corporation Sports Council” means a Corporation Sports Council constituted under section 15 for a Municipal corporation area; (iv) “District” means a Revenue District; (iv A) [***] (v) “District Sports Council” means the District Sports Council constituted under section 9 for a district; (v A) "District Sports Council Chairman" means the District Collector of the revenue district concerned. (vi)“Educational Institution” means University, College, School, Polytechnic or such other institution where instruction is imparted in any scientific - technical or arts subjects or any other institution notified by Government as an educational institution; (vii)“Existing Sports Council” means the existing sports council functioning in the State; (vii A) "Fund" means the State Sports Development Fund constituted under section 34A; (viii)“Member” means a member of State Sports Council or District Sports Council or Corporation Sports Council or Municipal Sports Council or Village Sports Council whichever is relevant to the context; (ix) “Municipal Sports Council” means a Municipal Sports Council constituted under section 15 for a Municipal Council area; (x) "Notification" means notification published in the Gazette; (xA) "open place" means any place, whether enclosed or not , having no building, or not more than five percentage of the total land of which is covered with buildings, and is primarily used, either wholly or partially for sports matters; (xB) "playground" means a place made suitable for the purpose of sports, games or physical exercises; (xi) “Prescribed” means prescribed under this Act; (xii) “Recognised Sports Organisation” means a sports organization registered with the State Sports Council, in accordance with the provisions of this Act; (xiii) “Regulation” means regulation made by the State Sports Council under this Act; (xiv)“sports” include out-door events, games conducted in open place or country sports, indoor games, those included as competitive items in the Common Wealth Games, Asian Games or National Games and aquatic sports, conducted from year to year as National Championships and other sports activities which are declared by the Government, by notification, as sports or games, on the recommendation of the State Sports Council; (xv) “Sports Organisation” means an organization constituted in accordance with law having a written constitution for the promotion of sports and games; (xvi) “Sports Club” means a sports association registered under the Travancore - Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955 (12of 1955) or the Societies Registration Act 1860 (Central Act 21 of 1860) and affiliated to the District Sports Organization concerned in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the rules made there under; (xvi A) "Sports Director" means the officer appointed by the Government as the head of the Sports Department. (xvi B) "Sports facility" means any stadium, playground, open place or any facility which is its part or ancillary to it; (xvii) “sportsman” means, a person who has participated in any sports item specified in clause(xiv) of section 2 at the District , School, University, State, National or International level and is registered as a sportsman; (xviii) stadium means an athletic or sports ground with a gallery for the spectators; (xviii A) “Standing Committee” means the standing committee of the State Sports Council; (xix) “State Sports Council” means the Kerala State Sports Council constituted under section 3; (xx) “Chairman of the State Sports Council” means the Chairman of the State Sports Council; (xxi) “President of the State Sports Council” means the person nominated by the Government as the President of the State Sports Council; (xxii) [***] (xxiii) “Village Sports Council” means a village sports council constituted under section 15 for a village panchayat area; (xxiv) “Year” means financial year.

(1) The Government shall, in consultation with the President of the State Sports Council, appoint an officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary to Government or the Director, Sports and Youth Affairs as the Secretary of the State Sports Council. (2) Subject to the supervision of the State Sports Council, the Secretary shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall have general control and command over the employees of State Sports Council and the District Sports Councils. (3) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the Secretary shall.- (i) implement the resolutions of State Sports Council and its Standing Committee; (ii) incur the expenditure authorized by the President and the Standing Committee; (iii) make payments by cheques or cash for all the expenses authorized by the State Sports Council; (iv) be responsible for the safe custody of the fund of the State Sports Council; (v) keep and maintain accounts of income and expenditure of the State Sports Council; (vi) keep the records of the meetings and the proceedings of the State Sports Council and Standing Committee; and (vii) submit returns, accounts, statement and other details when required by the Government or any Audit Officer. (4) The Secretary may, with the permission of the Standing Committee, and subject to such restrictions and limitations specified by him by an order in writing entrust any of his functions to any official of the State Sports Council.

(1) The State Sports Council shall meet at least twice in an year and one of such meetings shall be the annual meeting. (2) The President of the State Sports Council may, whenever he thinks fit, convene a special meeting of the State Sports Council for the transaction of urgent business. (3) Subject to such conditions as may be prescribed the President shall convene a special meeting of the State Sports Council to discuss urgent matters of importance upon a written requisition by not less than one-third of the total members of the State Sports Council. (4) The quorum for a meeting of the State Sports Council shall be one-third of its total membership.

(1) The State Sports Council shall transact its business through resolutions passed in such manner and in accordance with such procedure, as may be prescribed. (2) a copy of every resolution shall be forwarded to the Government within fifteen days of the passing of that resolution. (3) The Government may call for any records or information regarding any resolution from the State Sports Council and the State Sports Council shall be bound to furnish such record or information.