Mr. Rajshekhar Rao, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Karthik Sundar, Adv v. EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION OF INDIA ORS

$~86 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI+ LPA 633/2025 CM APPL. 64374/2025 CM APPL. 64375/2025 CM APPL. 64376/2025 CM APPL. 64377/2025 CM APPL. 64378/2025 CM APPL. 64379/2025 MISS VAASVI KHAITAN .....Appellant Through: Mr. Rajshekhar Rao, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Karthik Sundar, Adv. versus EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION OF INDIA & ORS. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Udit Dedhiya, Ms. Apurva Sachdve and Mr. Rudra GP, Advs. for UOI Mr. Vinayak Bhandari and Mr. Ishaan Phukan, Advs. for EFI(R-1) Mr. Vikash Singh and Mr. Ujjwal Chaudhary, Advs. for IOA (R-3) CORAM:HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V. KAMESWAR RAOHON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VINOD KUMARO R D E R% 13.10.20251.This Intra-Court appeal lays a challenge to an order dated 11.09.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition no. 13657/2025, whereby the learned Single Judge has in paragraphs 18 and 19 stated as under: “18. Be that as it may. In view of the fact that there was specific direction in para-6 of the order dated 09.09.2025, coupled with the fact that part-2 of the Article 211 seems to, prima facie, have not been implemented, this Court is of the considered opinion that the shortage of time impels this Court to direct the EFI to conduct fresh trials in respect of the remaining four participants This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/10/2025 at 12:45:00 permitting the petitioner and other similarly situated sports persons to furnish requisite and appropriate documents in respect of evaluation according to Article 211 read with Article 210 of the Technical Guidelines, 2024 (version-2), either by selection trials, if time permits, or else to apply the Rider Point method, as may be decided appropriately by respondent no.1/EFI. 19. All the sports persons who consider themselves eligible to participate are at liberty to submit their requisite documents to the concerned authority of the respondent no.1/EFI within 24 hours. Upon receipt of such documents, the competent authority of respondent no.1/EFI is requested to evaluate the same and finalize the selection list. The said list, after finalization may be furnished to the Organizing Committee on or before 15.09.2025.”2.Mr. Vinayak Bhandari appearing for respondent no. 1 has placed before us a communication dated 15.09.2025 received from the FEI (International Federation) pursuant to the communication made by the EFI on the same day i.e. 15.09.2025. The communication as addressed to the EFI reads as under : “Dear Nafe, Many thanks for your email concerning the entries for the Asian Youth Games 2025. We have to inform you that it is not possible to make any changes to the nominated list submitted by 31 August, which was the deadline date for submitting the FEI nominated entries. We are therefore not able to proceed with your request. The nominated list for Jumping remains as submitted by 31 August. We also would like to point out that we have not yet received the completed and signed FEL Definite Entry form for Jumping. As reminded last week as well as earlier today, the deadline date for submitting the definite entries to the FEI is today 15 September at 23:59 Bahrain time. You can enter a maximum of 4 athlete/horse combinations plus a travelling reserve horse on the definite list and must be chosen from the nominated list submitted by 31 August. We thank you for your understanding and we look forward to receiving the FEI Definite Entry form for Jumping for the Asian Youth Games 2025 by today. In case of any further questions, please feel free to contact us.” 3.In response thereof, the EFI has stated as under : This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/10/2025 at 12:45:00 “1. As directed by Indian Olympic association and in compliance with the order of the honorable high court of Delhi dated 11.09.2025 The revised list of reserve category of show jumping discipline athletes for india is as under a) Neil Kendal b) bhoowan c) fateh jahaan singh dhaliwal own horse tailormade chac blue FEI ID-108AF61) d) jaiveer nagra e) vaasvi khetan f) sidhant jain. h) Adiya esha. 2. It is also clarified that the first four names in the definate entries list remains the same. 3. In view you requested to amend the reserve list with athletes mentioned at para 1 above. 4.According to learned counsel, the FEI has not accepted the request of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) whereby the EFI has sent a revised list of reserve category of show jumping discipline Athletes representing India. 5.It is his submission that in view of the stand taken by FEI, the name of the petitioner which is in the reserve list, cannot be processed further. 6.The submission of Mr. Rajshekhar Rao, learned Senior Counsel for the appellant is that a larger issue which arise for consideration is whether EFI could have sent the names of participants to the Organizing Committee in Bahrain without undertaking trials. On this the counsel for EFI states that there is some justification for sending the list to the FEI, without trials. 7.Be that as it may, we deem it appropriate to direct the respondent no.1 to file an affidavit before the learned Single Judge in the aforesaid Writ Petition highlighting action taken by the respondent no. 1 in complying with the directions given by the learned Single Judge, as noted above. This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/10/2025 at 12:45:00

8.The affidavit shall be filed within two weeks. Suffice to state that we have directed the filing of the affidavit only for the reason that the same shall be considered by the learned Single Judge while deciding the Writ Petition. 9.We make it clear that all the contentions of the appellant are left open to be canvassed before the learned Single Judge. 10.In view of this order, Mr. Rao, on instructions states that he shall not press the appeal. The appeal is dismissed as withdrawn. 11.The pending applications are dismissed, as infructuous. V. KAMESWAR RAO, JVINOD KUMAR, JOCTOBER 13, 2025ss