High Court · 2025

Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of lndia praying that in the circumstances stated in the affidavit filed therewith, the High Court may be pleased to pass an order, direction or writ more particularly one in the nature of writ of mandamus declaring action of the Respondent in not considering the Petitioner to play in league matches of Respondent and BCCI tournaments for the year 2024-2025 on the ground that the Petitioner is not having domicile in Telangana State for the last 5 years to qualify for selection pursuant to the Letter Daled O7 .11.2023 is illegal, arbitrary, unjust and also violation of Articles 14, 15, 16, 19,21 of the Constitution of lndia apart from violation of Rules and Regulations of Board of Control for Cricket in lndia (BCCI) in its Letter Dated 09.08.2024 in LT.No.BCCI/HQ/34 (J)/858 of 2024 consequently to set-aside the Letter Dated 07.11.2023 followed by the Notification for HCA League A-1 Division 2024-25, Dated 06.07.2024 by directing the Respondent to permit the Petitioner to play in league matches of Respondent apart from BCCI Tournaments for the year 2024-2025. 7 lA NO: 1 OF 2024 Petition unde'r Se'<tion 151 CPC praying that in the cirr;u ms;tanr;es stated in the affidavit filed irr ;trcport of the petition, the High Court may be; pleased to SUSPEND the Let'e DaIed 07.11 .2023 issued by the Respondeni which was tc the Notification for HCA League A-'1 ftivrsirn 2024-25, issued to consequ€:ni Dated 06.07.2024 there,trv permitting the Petitioner to pray irr league matches of Respondent apart ftotn EOCI tournaments for the year 2024-2025 Counsel for the Petitiorrer: SRI SYED MANSOOR Counsel for the ResporrCent: SRI N.GANGADHAR, SC FOR HCA The Court made the following: ORDER THE HONOURABLE SRI JUSTICE E.V.VENUGOPAL WRIT PE-TITION No.2387 1 of 2024 ORDER: This writ petition is hled under Article 226 of Constitution of India seeking the following relief: "to issue a ui| order direction more particularlg one in the nature of utrit of mandamus declaring action of the Respon.d.ent in not consideing the Petitioner to plag in league matches of Respondent and BCCI toumaments for the Aear 2024 - 2025 on the ground that the Petitioner is not hauing domicile in Telongana State for the lost 5 Aears to qnlifu for seledion pursuant to the Letter Dated. O7.11.2023 is tllegal, arbitrary, unjust and aLso uiolation of Articles 14, 15, 16, 19 and 21 of th.e Constitution of India apart from uiolation of Rules and Regulations of Board of Control for Cricket in Indkt BCCI in its Letter Dated 09.08.2O24 in LT.No.BCCI/ HQ/ 34 (J)/ 858 of 2O2a consequentlA to set aside the Letter Dated 07.11.2023 follouted bg the Notification for HCA Leage A1 Diui.sion 2024 - 25 Dated 06.O7.2024 by directing tLrc Respo4dent to permit the Petittoner to play in learye matches of Respondent apart from BCCI Tournqments for the gear 2024 - 2O25 and pass".

2. The brief facts of the case is that the petitioner has born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh and stayed there up to 2072 ar-d thereafter, shifted to Hyderabad, wherein.he registered his name in Aadhar Cird on 07.05.2015 by mentioning his address as H.No.3-5-784 /I/1, Krng Koti, Motor Khana, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad. The petitioner sta-rted playing Cricket since, 2013. On noticing his efficiency in playing Cricket, the respondent selected him as one of the players in Hyderabad Under-16 Cricket Team in Sout-h Zone Inter State Under-16 Tournament 2 -t'\. : .1 for Viia,'rr lterchant Trophy held at Mysore cluring 2114-15 and also sele rtsC as player in Hyderabad Under-19 tlrrc..ret Team in the Alt In,lia Under- 19 Cricket Tournamen I for C'roch Behar Trophv Lc rl at various venues in India during the 'ears 2O18- 19. "he respondent has also issued Cer-ificrrtes, dated 26.11.2O:.1 and 19.08.2019 by appreciating his efficiency. Later o;'r, tL e respondent has issued Rules f<rr a Loc'rl and Non- local pJa1 < r s for registratio t for 2023-24 s,:asc'n v herein, the respo-rclrnl made a new rule that 'those who are born. in India outsj<le th: Telangana State, but have a dornicile irr Telangana lor the LzLst 5 years". Proof of Domicile for iasl- 5 y::ars should inclu<te 5,r;.-r ool / college report for 5 years, borlah<le ccrtihcate for 5 yea-s. (,()l)y of original date of birth and copy of Aadhar Card issuerl ,r'il r Telangana State address for 5 -'ears. l>ursuant to the srrirl ?r.L1e, the respondent had issued r'otiE cati,ln for HCA Leagr- e .o- . Division 2024-25, dated 06.07.2024 for registration of play,r'rsr. Pursuant to the said notifrcation, -esp)ndent has issuerl a 1 : lter dated OT .17.2023 to All the Chairp ersons and Memt,e-s o:' the Selection Committee of the Hyclerallad Cricket Association wherein it had mentioned tha - prrrsuant to resolt,tic" raade during the 1st Apex Council Mer:tin1.J pertaining to th(: ).rnicile criteria for eligibility to represent the State of / 3 Telangana (Team Hyderabad) in all age group categories for both Men and Women. By virtue of the said notihcation and letter, the respondent is refrained the petitioner to select as one of the players to represent on behalf of Hyderabad Team on the ground that the petitioner born in Meerut and he is not a Domicile of State of Telangana. Therefore, the present writ petition.

3. karned counsel appearing for the writ petitioner has submitted that in similar circumstances, this Court has already set aside the notihcatio n lletter , dated O7' i l -2023 issued by the respondent in W.P.No.28136 of 2024, dated O3-o4-2O25 ar..d directed the respondent to consider the eligibility of the petitioner for selection as a player for the State of Telangana.

4. A perusal of the order in W.P'No'28136 of 2024 would show that the petitioner therein was born in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and later moved to Hyderabad, Telangana in the end of 2Ol7 arrd he was playing league matches in various categories and tournaments in Hyderabad and he was also selected for Hyderabad Under-l9 team for Vinoo Mankad and Cooch Behar Trophies. Considering the Domicile Requirements, Powers and Functions of Apex Council and the Eligibility Criteria of the 4 l Player fb' )?r: ei,rtration, this Court allowed the said writ petition and dire:t:ci the respondent to consider the ,:ligibi)it',- of the petitionel thcrein for selection as a piayer fur the, iitate of Telangan a

5. In il'r-: irL:;tant case also the petitioner was bo:::-r in Meerut, Uttar Przrd:r;l- and he was shifted to Hyderabad in the year

2015. Tle peliLioner herein also participated in Al1 Indizr Under- 19 Crick:t 'Ic,rrrnament for Cooch Behar Trophy as ike the petitioner in \['.P.No.28136 of 2024. That apart, the interim prayer in ttr s u'rit petition is to set aside letter dated

07.11.2Ot13 irrrl permit the petitioner to play in leasue rnatches of respon'Je n I apart from BCCI Tournaments for the year 2024-

2025. Sin,:e tl Le said letter, dated O7. 1 L.2023 has a1rea,1y been set aside lrr this Court in W.P.No.28136 of 2Oi,,4 arLd ttre petitioner u a r; iLllowed to participate in. Under- 16 Cricke l. Teach in South Zone Inter State Under-16 Tournament and 1.11 India Under-19 Cr r: <et Tournament for Cooch Behar 'Iroprhv ,,rnd the petitioner is tr s;o standing on the same footing as thar of the petitioner irL \V.P.No.28136 of 2024, this Court is of the ,rpinion that the rvrit p,:trtion deserves to be allowed and zrccordingly, the same is; lr lcwed directing the respondent to consi:ler the 5 eligibility of the petitioner for selection as a player for the State of Telangana. There shall be no order as to costs. Miscellaneous petitions, if any, pending in this writ petition, shall stand closed. There shall be no order as to costs. //rRUE coPY// SD/.M. OSMAN ALI BAIG ASSISTANT REG/STRAR 1-1J SECTTPN OFFTCER The President, Hyderabad Cricket Association, Affiliated to the Board of Control for Cricket in lndia, Rajiv Gandhi lnternational Cricket Stadium, Uppal, Medchal-lVlalkajgiri District-S00 039 One CC to SRI SYED MANSOOR, Advocate [OPUCI . One CC to SRI N.GANGADHAR, SC FOR HCA [OPUC] Two CD Copies @- To 1 2 1 4 PSK. BS 7 o o _-a:'-::- | --{r rrf s t -= 4i (- >\ z o A +t. ?;'illN 2m t -o Dr. \\. :ai- HIGH COURT DATED:30104121J25 ORDER WP.No.23871 ol 2024 ALLOWING THE WRIT PETITION WITHOUT COSTS 6