Shivanshu Sehrawat & ORS. v. Association Of Indian Universities & ORS.

$~44 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + W.P.(C) 2383/2024 SHIVANSHU SEHRAWAT & ORS.

.....Petitioners Through:

Mr. Ayush Negi, Ms. Aarushi Gupta and Mr.

Chaitanya Pandey, Advocates.

versus ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN UNIVERSITIES & ORS.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr. Shoumendu Mukherji Senior Panel Counsel with Mr Aniruddha Ghosh, Advocates for UOI.

Mr Abhinav Shrivastava; Mr Shivang Rawat, Advocates for R-5.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV

O R D E R

% 12.01.2026 1.

The petitioners in the instant writ petition pray for the following reliefs:- "(i) issue writ of certiorari quashing the impugned final result of the All India Inter University Shooting Championship 25Mtr Rapid Fire Pistol Men Category dated 18.12.2023 published by the Respondent No 5 under aegis of the Respondent No 1.

(ii) Issue a writ of mandamus directing the Respondent No. 1 & 5 to redraw the final result of the All India Inter University Shooting Championship 25 Mtr Rapid Fire Pistol Men Category. (iii) Pass any other order as this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper, in the facts and circumstances of the case."

2.

Heard learned counsel appearing on behalf of the parties. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

3.

Respondent no.5 by way of its reply, besides objecting to the petition on merits has also raised an objection regarding availability of the alternate remedy. Paragraph no.12 of the said reply is extracted below, for reference:- "12. It is submitted that when any discrepancy arises it is Respondent No.l/AIU which acts as the final authority for resolution of the same. The AIU also serves as the final appellate body for any disputes which is evident from Rule 12 of the General Rules of the Handbook of Rules and Regulations for Inter University Tournaments, 1994. Rule 12 has been produced below for ready reference of this Hon'ble Court: "Appellate powers rest with the President and the Secretary General of the Association.

Appeals made to the Association by the aggrieved universities against the decisions of the Organising universities shall be considered only if received within a fortnight of the completion of the respective tournaments. These complaints shall be considered jointly by the President and the Secretary General, if need be, in consultation with any authority in the game concerned. While doing so, the Secretary General may invite representatives of the concerned universities at their own expenses to hear their point of view and necessary inquiry into the matter. The President shall be authorised to take a decision. Whenever, necessary, such disputes may even be referred to the Sports Board. The decision, taken by the President or the Sports Board, as the case may be, shall be binding on the parties concerned.

Therefore, the present petitioners should have exhausted the abovementioned mechanisms before approaching this Hon'ble Court as Respondent No.1 is a competent authority to resolve such disputes." 4.

In view of the aforesaid, it appears that there is an alternate grievance redressal mechanism in the form of Appellate Authority. The petitioners are, therefore, required to exhaust the said remedy and only thereafter, take appropriate recourse in accordance with law.

5.

The petitioners then pray that the instant petition be treated as an appeal and the same be decided by the Appellate Authority under respondent no. 1.

6.

Under these circumstances, the Court deems it appropriate to issue The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

following directions:- (i) Let the instant petition be treated as an appeal; (ii) On production of a copy of the petition, all documents, along with a copy of the order being passed today, let the Appellate Authority under respondent no.1 to take the appeal to its logical conclusion within a period of three months from the date of its receipt; (iii) After passing of the order by the Appellate Authority, if the grievance of the petitioners is not mitigated, they shall be at liberty to take appropriate recourse in accordance with law.

7.

With the aforesaid observations, the instant petition stands disposed of.

PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV, J JANUARY 12, 2026 Nc/amg The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.