High Court of DelhiLPA/449/2024

Chandigarh Horse Riders Society Chandigarh v. Equestrian Federation Of India Through Secretary General & ORS.

2024-05-29Hon'Ble Ms. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora,Hon'Ble The Acting Chief Justice4 pages

$~S-31 & 36 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + LPA 449/2024 & CM APPLs.33095-33097/2024 CHANDIGARH HORSE RIDERS SOCIETY CHANDIGARH ..... Appellant Through:

Mr.Rajiv Nayar, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Harish Pandy, Advocate.

versus EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION OF INDIA THROUGH SECRETARY GENERAL & ORS.

..... Respondents Through:

Mr.Rajeev Mehra, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Kirtiman Singh, Ms.Manmeet Kaur Sareen, Mr.Waize Ali Noor, Ms.Vidhi Jain and Mr.Varun Pratap, Advocates for R-1.

Mr.Rajiv Dutta, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Ashish Kothari, Mr.Devang Gautam, Mr.Balasubramanian Ramesh Iyer, Ms.Shivangi Singh and Ms.Neha Singh, Advocates for R-2.

Mr.Chetan Sharma, ASG with Mr.Apoorv Kurup, CGSC, Mr.Amit Gupta, Mr.Vinay Yadav, Mr.Vikramaditya Singh, Ms.Nidhi Mittal, Ms.Ishita Pathali, Ms.Akanksha Kumari and Mrs.Gauri Goburdhun, Advocates for UOI.

Mr.Sagar Chaurasia, Advocate with Mr.Vikash Singh, Advocate for IOA.

+ LPA 453/2024 & CM APPLs.33179/2024, 33181-33182/2024 EQUESTRIAN FEDERATON OF INDIA ..... Appellant Through:

Mr.Jayant Mehta, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Kirtiman Singh, Ms.Manmeet Kaur Sareen, Mr.Waize Ali Noor, Ms.Vidhi Jain, Mr.Varun Pratap and Mr.Raghav Dutt, Advocates.

versus

RAJASTHAN EQUESTRIAN ASSOCIATION & ORS.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr.Rajiv Dutta, Sr.Advocate with Mr.Ashish Kothari, Mr.Devang Gautam, Mr.Balasubramanian Ramesh Iyer, Ms.Shivangi Singh and Ms.Neha Singh, Advocates for R-1.

Mr.Sagar Chaurasia, Advocate with Mr.Vikash Singh, Advocate for IOA.

% Date of Decision: 29th May, 2024

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA

JUDGMENT

MANMOHAN, ACJ: (ORAL) CM APPL.33098/2024 (Exemption) in LPA 449/2024 CM APPL.33180/2024 (Exemption) in LPA 453/2024 1.

Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

Accordingly, the applications stand disposed of. LPA 449/2024 & CM APPLs.33095-33097/2024 LPA 453/2024 & CM APPLs.33179/2024, 33181-33182/2024 3.

Keeping in view the fact that Paris Olympics is round the corner, learned counsel for the parties after extensive arguments and without prejudice to their rights and contentions agree that till the learned Single Judge disposes of the writ petitions being W.P.(C) 10342/2019 and W.P.(C)

5989/2022, the Executive Committee constituted pursuant to EFI elections held in November, 2019 be reinstated. The list of members of the Executive Committee of EFI as on 18th December, 2019 is reproduced herein below:- "

Lt. Gen Gopal R, UYSM, AVSM, SM, President EFI & QMG - Chairman ii.

Lt. Gen PR Venkatesh, SM, DGRVS - Vice President (Vet) iii.

Mr. Harish Khokhar - Vice President (Fin) iv.

Col Jagat Singh - Vice President (Tech) v.

Brig Deep Ahlawat, VSM - Member Eventing vi.

Col Jaiveer Singh - Secretary General vii.

Lt Col MM Rahman - Joint Secretary viii.

Col Rakesh Sharma - Treasurer ix.

Col Vikas Thakur - Member Medication Control x.

Col Mangal Singh - Member Jumping xi.

Col SS Ahlawat, VSM (Retd) - Member Dressage xii.

Dr Sanjay Gupta - Member Central Region xiii.

Mr Kishore Futnani - Member South Region xiv.

Col PP Singh (Retd) - Member Eastern Region xv.

Dr Siddhartha Sharma - Member North East Region xvi.

Ms. Vanita Malhotra Chairperson, Athletes Commission xvii.

Lt. Col. Raj Sangram Singh Vice Chairperson, Athletes Commission xviii.

Lt Gen MH Thakur, AVSM, VSM - Vice President (Adm) xix.

Brig SS Kashyap - Vice President (Sports Devp) xx.

Col Tarsem Singh Warraich - Member Tent Pegging xxi.

Lt Col DP Nanda - Member Northern Region xxii.

Col CS Sohai (Retd) - Member Endurance"

Learned senior counsel for the appellant states that Ms. Vanita Malhotra and Lt. Col. Raj Sangram Singh were then co-opted in the Executive Committee of the EFI, as ex-officio members without any right to vote due to the positions then held, by them, in the Athletes Commission. He states however, they have since demitted offices and currently Lt. Col. Ashish Malik is the Chairperson and Maj. Ritika Dahiya is the Vice Chairperson, of the Athletes Commission. He states that it may therefore be directed that Lt. Col. Ashish Malik and Maj. Ritika Dahiya will be part of

the Executive Committee in place of Ms. Vanita Malhotra and Lt. Col. Raj Sangram Singh.

Accordingly, the Executive Committee constituted pursuant to EFI elections held in November, 2019, and as it existed on 18th December, 2019, is reinstated with the modification that Lt. Col. Ashish Malik and Maj. Ritika Dahiya are co-opted in place of Ms. Vanita Malhotra and Lt. Col. Raj Sangram Singh respectively. And, the impugned order dated 21st May, 2024 is suspended till the learned Single Judge disposes of the writ petitions being W.P.(C) 10342/2019 and W.P.(C) 5989/2022. This Court once again clarifies that the aforesaid interim arrangement has been made in view of the impending Paris Olympics, 2024.

Since the matter has been pending before the learned Single Judge for some time and the matter requires expeditious disposal, the Registry is directed to list the aforesaid two writ petitions1 alongwith W.P.(C) 10783/2022 and W.P.(C) 2036/2022 before Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjeev Narula. For this purpose, list the matter before Hon'ble Mr. Justice Sanjeev Narula on 2nd July, 2024. This Court clarifies that the rights and contentions of all the parties are left open. With the aforesaid directions, the present appeals and applications are disposed of.

ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA, J MAY 29, 2024 TS 1 W.P.(C) 10342/2019 and W.P.(C) 5989/2022