Delhi Court Reinstates Journalist Simran Sodhi to Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia

New Delhi, March 23, 2025: In a reported dramatic turn of events amid the escalating controversy surrounding the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) of South Asia, a Delhi court has stayed the expulsion of senior journalist Simran Sodhi, restoring her membership and issuing a stern rebuke to all sides involved in the ongoing leadership tussle.

District Judge Dharmender Rana, in a detailed order dated March 20, 2025, reportedly termed the expulsion of Ms. Sodhi as prima facie unlawful, emphasizing that it was not backed by any valid resolution of the FCC’s Governing Committee — a requirement under Clauses 4(i) and 4(j) of the Club’s Memorandum of Association.

The judge strongly disapproves of Simran Sodhi and FCC President S. Venkat Narayan’s “mud-slinging” in open court rather than working symbiotically for the betterment of the institution.

“In the case at hand, unfortunately, two senior members of an esteemed organization, instead of symbiotically acting for the advancement of the cause of the organization, seem to be at loggerheads to wrest control of respondent no. 2 [FCC],” the court observed. “Both plaintiff and respondent no. 1 are busy expelling each other with scant reverence to the relevant rules and regulations.”

Adding to the controversy, the court also reportedly noted that the questionable conduct of Advocate Sunita Bhardwaj, who represented the defendants. The plaintiff, Ms. Sodhi, pointed out that Ms. Bhardwaj had earlier expressed herself in a defamation case and was privy to confidential communications. The court acknowledged this concern and remarked that while it would not bar the advocate from appearing, the issue “does reflect a possible violation of professional etiquette” and left it open for the plaintiff to approach the Bar Council.

The dispute began after Ms. Sodhi and other Governing Committee (GC) members passed a no-confidence motion against Mr. Narayan on October 4, 2024, and declared herself interim president. In response, Mr. Narayan issued a show-cause notice on October 8. He expelled her on October 15 — notably before the seven-day reply period had expired and without affording her a hearing before the GC.

The court held that this expulsion violated the principles of natural justice and the Club’s internal rules. “The expulsion letter dated 15.10.2024 is hereby stayed till the disposal of the instant suit,” Judge Rana ruled. “The status of the plaintiff for her membership in respondent no. 2 is hereby restored.”

While the court refused to interfere in the FCC’s ongoing election process — declining requests to appoint a retired judge as election observer or to bar members inducted after October 4, 2024 — it acknowledged the plaintiff’s concern that her name had been excluded from the voter list published on March 17.

Legal experts say the ruling sends a clear message on the sanctity of institutional rules and internal democracy, especially in bodies tasked with defending journalistic freedom. “This judgment upholds the principle that procedures matter,” noted a senior advocate following the case. “You cannot bypass due process, even if you hold the highest office in an organization.”

The FCC, one of South Asia’s oldest and most respected journalistic institutions, has become deeply divided. Internal disputes have spilled over into courtrooms and public forums, and what should have been a democratic electoral process has now become a legal and reputational battleground.

As the Club gears up for its elections, this court order may mark a legal turning point and a moment of introspection for the FCC and its members.

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