The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred the hearing on a petition challenging the Delhi High Court's refusal to interfere with the non-selection of riders Anush Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela in India's dressage team for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, after Justice KV Viswanathan recused himself from the case.
Recusal and Re-listing
As the matter was called for hearing, Justice Viswanathan stated he would recuse. The bench, also comprising Justice Alok Aradhe, ordered the matter to be re-listed before an appropriate bench as decided by the Chief Justice of India. Subsequently, the case was mentioned before the senior-most bench available, led by Justice A. Amanullah, which allowed it to be listed on Friday.
Background of the Case
The Supreme Court had on Tuesday agreed to hear the petition on Thursday. The riders challenged the Delhi High Court's July 6 order, which upheld a single judge's decision denying them relief. Agarwalla and Hajela were gold medal winners at the Asian Games 2022 but were placed as reserve riders—Agarwalla as first reserve and Hajela as second reserve—in the selection list issued by the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) on June 16 for the dressage event at the Asian Games scheduled from September 19 to October 4 in Japan.
High Court's Ruling
On July 6, the high court refused to interfere with their non-selection, upholding the single judge's order. The high court noted that while it did not find any infirmity with the preparation of the list of probables, the EFI had failed to duly comply with certain clauses of the selection criteria. However, it concluded that a fresh trial was not possible at this stage and exercised restraint in the larger interest of sports and to avoid any adverse impact on the country's prospects at the Asian Games. The court directed the EFI to strictly comply with the selection criteria.
Single Judge's Order
On June 29, the single judge upheld the EFI's selection process, dismissing the petitions filed by Agarwalla and Hajela. The judge held that the selection criteria were applied fairly and there was no arbitrariness, perversity, or procedural impropriety warranting judicial interference. The riders had challenged the June 16 selection list, arguing against the calculation of Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs), interpretation of selection criteria, absence of additional selection trials, and allegations of bias in the selection committee. The single judge rejected all these challenges.
Impact and Next Steps
The deferral means the Supreme Court will now hear the case on Friday. The outcome could affect the composition of India's dressage team for the Asian Games, with Agarwalla and Hajela seeking inclusion ahead of the four selected riders. The EFI's selection process remains under scrutiny, and the court's eventual decision may set precedents for sports selection disputes in India.
