Bollywood actor and rugby administrator Rahul Bose has formally responded to a legal challenge against his Himachal Pradesh domicile certificate, asserting its validity before the High Court. Bose, through his defence counsel, argued that the certificate was obtained legally and has no connection to his position or elections within Rugby India, the national sports federation he leads as President.
Court Proceedings and Key Arguments
The detailed reply was submitted before the single bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel on Thursday, December 18, 2025. This was in response to a notice issued by the High Court on December 5, based on a petition filed by Diviya Kumari Jubbal, a member of the erstwhile Jubbal royal family. The court had directed Bose and other respondents, including the Himachal Pradesh government and the Deputy Commissioner of Solan, to file their replies by December 18.
In a significant move, Bose informed the court that he has decided not to contest for the Rugby India presidency as a candidate from Himachal Pradesh. His defence counsel, Janesh Gupta, stated, "The domicile certificate issued to us is legally valid and it had nothing to do with the rugby body elections which was pointed out in the petition." Gupta also highlighted that their reply references the newly enacted National Sports Governance Act, 2025, which was notified in August this year.
Petitioner's Allegations and Next Steps
The petition by Jubbal alleged that Bose used the reputation of the royal family to advance his interests within the rugby federation. She claimed he obtained the Himachal domicile certificate to secure two crucial votes from the state during the Rugby India elections. The petition pointed out that Bose was born in Kolkata and holds Aadhaar, passport, and domicile documents from Maharashtra, where he has built his film career, questioning the authenticity of the Himachal certificate.
Advocate Karan Singh Kanwar, representing the petitioner, noted that Bose's filed reply was voluminous and would require detailed examination. The matter has now been listed for the next hearing on January 6, 2026. One of the other respondents has sought additional time to file their response.
Background and Broader Context
Rahul Bose is a pioneering figure in Indian rugby, having been a member of India's first national team to play in an international tournament—the Asian Rugby Football Union Championship in 1998. He was elected President of Rugby India in 2021 and is credited with popularising the sport, including launching the franchise-based Rugby Premier League.
Sources indicated that during the proceedings, the defence raised concerns about media coverage of the case, though the court did not take formal cognisance of this issue. The legal battle puts a spotlight on the intersection of sports governance, regional domicile rules, and the administrative roles of public figures in national sports bodies.
