Delhi HC appoints ad-hoc committee led by Retd. Justice Najmi Waziri to run the Equestrian Federation of India [Read Judgment]

NEW DELHI: Hearing a plea by the Rajasthan Equestrian Association, the Delhi High Court has set up an Administrative Committee to manage the affairs of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI). 

The decision of setting up the Committee under a retired High Court judge came following allegations of "impropriety" in the functioning of the Equestrian Federation of India - which is a national sports federation handling all equestrian (horse-related) sporting activities in India.

The Court said that that the decision was taken due to “clear impropriety”, and running of administrative affairs in an “arbitrary” or “perverse” manner, compelling the Delhi High Court to intervene in a matter concerning a sporting federation’s administration.

Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju made it clear that ordinarily, a court does not interfere in the administration of a national sports federation.

Retired Justice Najmi Waziri of the Delhi High Court has been appointed as the Chairperson, former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi as observer/member and advocate Rohini Musa as a member.

"Pending the conduct of elections, EFI cannot be left without any office bearers.. This Court cannot in good conscience leave the functioning of the EFI solely in the hands of those office bearer(s) whose tenure has expired and who are acting in a capricious manner and in violation of the directives of the court," the order said.

The petitioner Association alleged violation of the National Sports Development Code, 2011 by the Federation, by extending franchise to equestrian clubs and ineligible institutions, and sought a restraint on holding of elections to the Executive Committee of the EFI.

Directing the ad-hoc committee to manage all the day-to-day administration, governance and functioning of the EFI until the next elections, and also held that the existing office bearers would only render requisite assistance to the Committee.

The Court took the opinion that the "...the interest of justice would be served if an ad-hoc Administrative Committee is appointed to supervise the administration of the Respondent No. 1/EFI.”

It also sought for reports on all decisions taken by the EFI from September 29, 2023 till date to be submitted to the ad-hoc Committee and gave the Chairman the final call on such decisions. 

[Read Judgment]