NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court has directed an officer of the Indian Army to appear before court and reply as to how the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI) is operating from Army land.
“It transpires that Equestrian Federation of India, which has been declared as the recognized National Sports Federation (NSF) by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports under the National Sports Development Code of India (NSC), is functioning from B’ Sqn, 61 Cavalry, Cariappa Marg, Delhi Cantt-110010 which area even as per the federation’s own admission is situated on Army land,” said a bench of Justice Rekha Palli.
The court was hearing a writ petition filed by Rajasthan Equestrian Association that claimed the independent body is fully controlled by the Indian Army that has failed to run the EFI in a transparent manner. “On the next date, an officer from the Indian Army conversant with this aspect will be present in court through video conferencing,” the court said. It observed that the federation is functioning on the Army land. When the counsels for the federation, Adv Kirtiman Singh Ajay Digpaul could not respond to the court’s query, they sought time to obtain instructions in this regard.
As per to the writ petition, the EFI is functioning contrary to the provisions of National Sports and Development Code, 2011, and also causing harm to the equestrian games in India.