Kerala readies a Sports Bill to replace the Sports Council with a Sports Authority of Kerala

11 October 2026

The Keralam Sports Bill, 2026 is to be introduced in the Assembly session that began on 12 October, reports say. The draft proposes a Sports Authority of Kerala in place of the Sports Council, by merging the Council with the Directorate of Sports; it would be led by government-nominated representatives, with no elections to its governing body. It proposes fines of ₹5 lakh to ₹25 lakh for violations, and an online platform to issue and verify sports merit certificates. The draft is under final scrutiny by the Law Department and has not been made public. The Bill falls under the department of Sports Minister O. J. Janeesh.