NEW DELHI, May 14: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the centre on an Indian Hockey Federation petition challenging the IOA’s decision to suspend it.

Justice Rekha Sharma asked the centre to file its response on the IHF petition by July 9 when the matter would be taken up for further hearing.

The Indian Olympic Association on April 28 had suspended the IHF and had appointed an ad-hoc committee in its place.

The decision to suspend IHF was taken at an emergency meeting of the IOA Executive Committee following the sting operation which caught IHF secretary K Jothikumaran purportedly accepting bribe to select a player in the national team.

Federation, through its counsel DK Sharma, contended that the action taken against it was illegal and unauthorized as it was dissolved without being served a show cause notice to respond to the allegations.