In a decisive move, the Delhi High Court has appointed an ad hoc administrative committee (AAC) led by former judge Justice Najmi Waziri to manage the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI). The court’s intervention follows allegations of capricious behavior by the federation’s current office bearers, whose terms have expired.
Justice Waziri will serve as the Chairperson of the AAC, joined by former Chief Election Commissioner Dr. SY Quraishi as an observer and advocate Rohini Musa as a committee member. This committee is tasked with taking over the daily operations and governance of the EFI, effective immediately, according to an order issued by Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju on May 21.
The court’s mandate stipulates that the AAC will assume full administrative control, thereby stripping the existing office bearers of their authority. “The AAC will have the power to issue all appropriate directions necessary for the day-to-day functioning of Respondent No. 1/EFI under the signatures of the Chairperson. The AAC shall be authorized to make suitable arrangements for the governance of Respondent No. 1/EFI until elections are held,” the order states.
The federation has been given a 10-day deadline to present a comprehensive report to the AAC detailing all decisions made by its erstwhile secretary-general since September 29, 2023. The AAC is expected to file its report within six weeks, with this interim arrangement remaining in place until further court orders.
The court’s action stems from a petition filed by the Rajasthan Equestrian Federation, which contended that EFI’s election practices violated the National Sports Development Code of 2011 by improperly extending voting rights to clubs and institutions. The court-appointed observer highlighted systemic maladministration and non-compliance with the Sports Code within the EFI.
Justice Ganju emphasized the need for the AAC, noting, “There is an urgent and immediate need to protect the interest of equestrian sports to avoid further deterioration in its affairs, and to safeguard the larger public interest underlying the sport as well as the sportspersons dependent upon it.”
The High Court’s ruling also reflects its concern over leaving the federation under the control of officials whose tenure has lapsed and who have been acting arbitrarily. Senior Advocate Rajiv Dutta, representing the Rajasthan Equestrian Federation, along with a team of advocates, presented the case against EFI. Representing EFI were Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta and his team, while the Union of India was represented by Central Government Standing Counsel Ajay Digpaul and others. Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, appearing for the court observer, also played a crucial role in bringing the federation’s administrative issues to light.
Rajasthan_Equestrian_Federation_v_Equestrian_Federation_of_India_and_Ors
