The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has urgently sought approval of the High Court of Delhi to let it direct the Indian Olympic Association to form an ad hoc committee to run the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) when it could have taken a different route to resolve the governance imbroglio riddling EFI.
Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma suggested before Court on Thursday that the attempt was to ensure that Equestrian athletes do not suffer in the year of the Asian Games. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed that the parties in the case – EFI, Rajasthan Equestrian Association and the Court-appointed Observer – to file replies within 10 days.
Surprisingly, such concerns for athletes were not expressed on behalf of the Ministry when a clutch of riders moved Court in 2023 ahead of the Hangzhou Asian Games or the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Ministry also did not seem to take note of young rider Chirag Khandal deciding to quit the sport in frustration.
While there can be no denying that the entire Equestrian fraternity would be looking forward to an end of the administrative logjam – featuring the Executive Committee on one side and the Secretary-General on the other – it does come as a surprise that instead of creating an environment in which elections can be held, Ministry has now sought an ad hoc committee.
With the High Court of Delhi having ruled that clubs have no role to play in the governance of a National Federation and with a new regime in the form of the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules 2026 now in place, the decks would seem clear for elections to be held.
Curiously, the Ministry was not inclined earlier to suggest to Court that it was in favour of an ad hoc committee. Not in 2021 when the Observer recommended the High Court appoint an administrator to take over EFI governance. Or in 2024, when the Court actually appointed an ad hoc committee to run the Federation and when the EFI through Col. Jaiveer Singh went on appeal, the Ministry did not oppose that application.
It would also appear that the Ministry has not sought the Court to direct the Fact Finding Committee to submit its report, though more than a year has lapsed since its appointment. The Committee was given three months to file its report. And as per the Show Cause Notice issued by the Ministry to the Equestrian Federation, the Committee has not made any report yet.
Ministry can extend reasonable exemptions to many NSFs
Be that as it may, it begs asking why despite the lapse of a year in the wake of High Court Judgement, the Ministry on its own has not revised the exemptions granted to EFI instead of waiting for the Waziri Panel to come up with a report and its suggestions. It could have allowed EFI similar exemptions as some other National Sports Federations.
The Indian Golf Union, the National Rifle Shooting Association of India and some other NSFs were allowed to have State and Union Territories Associations in the Electoral College while being exempted from the stipulation that State Associations must have at least 50 per cent of the districts.
Perhaps, the Ministry has not revised EFI’s exemptions on its own because it would be tantamount to admitting that it had over-reached in 2021 when granting EFI exemptions from critical provisions of the National Sports Development Code of India 2011. It could have followed the Golf precedent, but the then ‘Competent Authority’ chose to concede a mile.
Ministry can take learnings from Code regime and declare exemptions
With the National Sports Governance Act 2025 in force now and with the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules 2026 notified, the Ministry can be proactive in identifying disciplines in which some exemptions will become necessary and notifying them instead of waiting for their respective NSFs to move applications for exemptions.
It is quite well known that NSFs for Equestrian, Golf, Polo, Rowing, Shooting, Yachting and in several Winter Sports will not have associations in 50 per cent of districts in each State for many reasons, not the least being the availability of necessary specialised infrastructure in rural and underdeveloped areas.
The Ministry can consider exemptions for these Federations, giving them time to expand their areas of operation. The experience gained over 15 years since the ushering in of the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 should be put to good use rather than reinvent the wheel under the regime that the National Sports Governance Rules 2026 will bring in.
It will also help the Ministry to be seen as proactive rather than reactive. It may then be seen as empathetic to NSFs of all disciplines without exception. Above all, it will be seen as more efficient than issuing granting an NSF relaxation for a year with just four days left for the calendar year to draw to a close as was the case with NRAI in 2024.
Image created for representation purposes with Google Gemini
