Word is out that the All India Tennis Association wants to conduct its elections by November 27. On paper, an election sounds like democratic progress. In reality, an election held without fixing the system underneath is nothing more than musical chairs. When the core pillars of transparency, integrity, and accountability are missing, changing the faces on the chairs changes nothing for the sport.

For months, Indian tennis has watched a governance crisis unfold in public view. Former international players stepped up to challenge the status quo in court because the existing structure stopped serving the athletes it was built to support. Yet instead of pausing for genuine introspection, the administration appears eager to rush toward a fresh term as though business can simply continue as usual.

The governance concerns before the Delhi High Court are neither minor nor speculative. Following the legal and transparency push led by former players including Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja — who recently filed Right to Information (RTI) applications seeking 10-year records from state tennis associations — the Delhi High Court appointed Justice (Retd.) Gita Mittal as Administrator. Justice Mittal submitted a detailed report to the High Court placing on record serious allegations involving the AITA Trust and office-bearers across multiple state affiliate associations.

The Delhi High Court took cognizance of that report and directed the concerned parties to file their formal replies. That judicial scrutiny goes to the heart of how tennis funds, trusts, and state units operate across the country.

Yet in the middle of this process, AITA convened an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and announced the creation of its own “independent task force.” The premise is hard to take seriously. An administration facing serious governance questions before the High Court is effectively saying it does not need outside oversight and will investigate its own alleged wrongdoings by itself.

Some still ask why boardroom governance matters to everyday tennis. The answer was visible just days ago at the ITF M25 tournament in Solapur. Indian professional Adil Kalyanpur shared a video from the venue that every stakeholder in Indian sport should watch closely.

At an international professional tournament hosted in India, players arrived to find no proper drinking water arranged on site and visible patches on the playing courts. These are not luxury demands. Safe court surfaces and drinking water are the bare minimum required to stage a professional tennis event.

When governance fails at the top, it shows up on the court. Players lose safe playing conditions, home tournaments lose credibility, and young Indian athletes are forced to spend precious money travelling abroad just to compete in basic professional standards.

There is a striking scene in the Hindi film Madaari where Irrfan Khan confronts a politician and asks who will answer for 5 years of damage when leaders treat the phrase “answerable to the people” as a mere figure of speech. Cinema often holds up a mirror to public institutions, and Indian sports administration is no exception.

For too long, being answerable to players and fans has been treated as a figure of speech rather than an enforceable duty. Players and tennis fans are the real stakeholders of Indian tennis. Associations exist to serve the sport and its athletes, not the other way around.

Superficial, cosmetic tweaks announced ahead of an election will not fix deep-rooted structural problems. Before any ballot is cast on November 27, Indian tennis needs transparent electoral rolls, conflict-of-interest safeguards, audited trust accountability, and enforceable tournament standards for players. First change the system, bring real accountability, and give Indian players the governance they deserve.