The High Court of Delhi on Monday directed the Ad Hoc Committee of the Equestrian Federation of India to file, by Tuesday evening, a counter-affidavit to Dressage rider Anush Agarwalla’s petition seeking the quashing of selection list announced by EFI on June 16 and to strictly implement the selection criteria.
Vacation Judge Justice Tejas Karia directed that all supporting documents including selection criteria, selection process and material taken into consideration by the Selection Committee and the Ad Hoc Committee be included in the counter-affidavit. He also directed that the case be listed for hearing on Wednesday.
Before moving Court against the EFI selection, the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games double medalist sought clarification from the Ad Hoc Committee about the calculations that determined the order of merit and the reasons for his exclusion from the team. The Federation took umbrage to what it called inaccurate and misleading allegations on team selection.
Interestingly, Ad Hoc Committee counsel Kapil Modi, who said he recused himself from the Dressage Selection Committee meetings, sought to impress on the Court that the petition was infructuous as the final entries had already been uploaded on the FEI (International Equestrian Federation) website.
A former coach of Anush Agarwalla, Kapil Modi said there had been reminders from the Indian Olympic Association, FEI and Asian Equestrian Federation to submit the final entries. Justice Tejas Karia observed that such reminders can be generated. “You can just call up and say: ‘Send me a reminder,’ and the reminder comes within 10 seconds, but that does not change the (July 1) deadline,” he observed.
Another development saw four riders – Shurti Vora, Gaurav Pundir, Jai Sud and Hriday Chheda – being impleaded as respondents. Anush Agarwalla’s senior counsel, Rahul Mehra, sought directions to implead the four riders. Shruti Vora and Gaurav Pundir, identified by EFI as the top two Dressage riders in the team, had instructed their lawyers to implead themselves.
On Sunday, Shruti Vora and Gaurav Pundir complained to the Sports Authority of India that Anush Agarwalla had wrongly attacked what they called the fairest and most transparent selection process in the history of Indian Dressage. Among other allegations, they said Anush Agarwalla’s grievance was against merit.
The Indian team for the Asian Games, announced by EFI Ad Hoc Committee:
Dressage: Shruti Vora ((Magnanimous), Gaurav Pundir (Milli), Jai Sud (Goofy La Perla) and Hriday Chheda (Dono Di Maggio).
Eventing: Ashish Limaye (Willy Be Dun), Ahaan Kumar (Bolivar Gio Granno), Arjan Nagra (Cooley Goodwood), Fouaad Mirza (Camouflage 38).
Jumping: Maryk Sahney (Cashtender), Abhishek Chopra (C’est Lui Des Rosiers), Yashaan Zubin Khambatta (Inca’s Big Think) and Niharika Singhania (First To Cash Out).
