Thiruvananthapuram: The proposed Sports Bill, which seeks to overhaul Kerala's sports sector, has hit a roadblock amid opposition within the Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) to provisions curbing political appointments.

Although the Chief Minister and the Sports Minister had earlier indicated that the Bill would be introduced during the ongoing Assembly session, it is now unlikely to be tabled. As per the current schedule, the Assembly is not expected to meet again this year after the ongoing session concludes.

The Kerala Sports Bill, 2026, proposes merging the Directorate of Sports under the Sports Department with the Kerala Sports Council to form the Sports Authority of Kerala, which would have no political representatives at the helm. The Sports Minister would chair the authority, the department secretary would serve as vice-chairperson, and the Director of Sports would be its chief executive officer (CEO).

However, the proposal to do away with political appointments has triggered opposition. A section of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders has raised the issue with the Chief Minister, while the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has criticised the government for failing to hold consultations within the UDF. The objections have significantly slowed the Bill's progress.

The draft Bill, which the Sports Department had sent to the Law Department for vetting, was returned only last week, following a delay of around two months.

The Bill is yet to be placed before the Cabinet, even as the current Assembly session is scheduled to conclude next Thursday. If the differences remain unresolved, the UDF government's attempt to overhaul the state's sports regulations after 26 years could face an indefinite delay.

The proposed legislation also seeks to introduce safeguards for sportspersons. These include fines of up to ₹25 lakh for violations of athletes' rights in the sports sector, as well as compensation for affected sportspersons.