Disposed¶25

Muskan Rathi v. the Indian Kurash Association & Anr.

Delhi HC22 May 2026W.P.(C)/6392/2026

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Delhi HC (Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav J, 22.05.2026) disposes W.P.(C) 6392/2026 (Muskan Rathi v. Indian Kurash Assn.) challenging short-notice Kurash selection trials for Asian Games 2026 Japan; trials not interfered with; future compliance with Ministry of Youth Affairs selection instructions (Annexure P-4) directed.

What did the court decide?

No re-conduction of the selection trials ordered; respondents directed to strictly adhere to the Annexure P-4 selection policy in all further events. ¶25

Muskan Rathi Vs the Indian Kurash Association & Anr. — Delhi HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

No re-conduction of the selection trials ordered; respondents directed to strictly adhere to the Annexure P-4 selection policy in all further events.

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Issue for consideration

Whether the selection-trial circular/notice issued by respondent no. 1 at short notice, without reasonable prior notice enabling adequate preparation (including making weight), was illegal and improper. +1 more

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Court's answer

The action of the respondents cannot be held to be illegal and improper, as it resulted from the decision taken by the organising committee for the Asian Games 2026; the selection trials have already taken place and the necessary communication has already been made to the organising committee.

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Ratio / Principle

All athletes who participated in the trials were intimated via the impugned notice, and the circumstances under which the trials were conducted at such short notice have been sufficiently explained in respondent no. 1's reply.

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Key takeaways

At this stage, interfering with the selection trials would derail the entire process and prejudice the participation of other athletes.ratio¶23
Keeping in mind the larger public interest, the Court is not inclined to direct re-conducting of the trials.ratio¶24
As regards adherence to the selection policy in Annexure P-4 (Ministry of Youth Affairs instructions dated 05.03.2025), the respondents are directed to strictly adhere to the same in all further events.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ petition by a Kurash wrestler challenging the undated circular/notice of the Indian Kurash Association conducting selection trials for the Asian Games 2026 (Japan) on short notice (circulated on WhatsApp on 05.05.2026; trials held 11.05.2026), contrary to the Ministry of Youth Affairs selection instructions (Annexure P-4, dated 05.03.2025) requiring selection policies to be published well in advance. Respondent no. 1 attributed the short notice to the strict 14.05.2026 accreditation-deadline set by the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee, communicated through the IOA vide letter dated 04.05.2026. Finding that all participating athletes received the same notice, that the short notice was sufficiently explained by the organising committee's deadline, and that the respondents' action was therefore not illegal or improper, and that interference at that stage would derail the process and prejudice other athletes, the single Judge declined to order re-trials, disposed of the petition, and directed the respondents to strictly adhere to the Annexure P-4 selection policy in all further events.

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$~50

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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- W.P.(C) 6392/2026 & CM APPL. 31542/2026 MUSKAN RATHI .....Petitioner

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Through: Mr. Khaniya Singhal, Mr. Rohit Kumar and Ms. Himanshi Singh, Advs.

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versus

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THE INDIAN KURASH ASSOCIATION & ANR. .....Respondents Through: Mr. Vedant Chandel and Mr. Nitin Prasad, Advs. for R-1. Ms. Arunima Dwivedi, CGSC with Ms. Monalisha Pradhan, Advs. for R- 2.

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV

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O R D E R

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% 22.05.2026

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The petition is for setting aside the impugned undated circular/notice issued by respondent no. 1- The India Kurash Association for conducting selection trials for participation in the Asian Games 2026 in Japan.

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The petitioner claims that the circular was circulated only on 05.05.2026 on WhatsApp and the trials were conducted at an unreasonably short notice on 11.05.2026.

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The petitioner contends that she is a ‘Kurash’ wrestler and is eligible for participation in the trials. According to her, she is prejudiced by the respondent no. 1’s failure to give reasonable prior notice, giving her adequate time to prepare for the said trial.

¶13

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 25/05/2026 at 13:06:50

¶14

Learned counsel for the petitioner has drawn the attention of the Court to Annexure P-4 which is ‘Instructions relating to selection of sportspersons for participation in international events, inclusion in coaching camps and selection of coaches/support staff’ dated 05.03.2025 issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs. She points out that under clause A (ii), the selection policy laying down the selection norms ought to be uploaded on the website of the NSF at least three months in advance of all events and national camps. Further, as per sub-clause (v) thereof, the selection policy for mega sports events like the Asian Games ought to be uploaded on the website at least two years in advance and also emailed to the member units and to the Sports Authority of India.

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She submits that the nature of the sport of Kurash requires the athletes to prepare well in advance in order to make weight for the trials/events, and therefore, reasonable notice prior to conducting the trials is of utmost importance to them.

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Respondent no.1, on notice, has filed its reply and has taken the position that the sole reason for the short notice at which the trials have been conducted was the strict deadline of 14.05.2026 set by the ‘Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee’ for submission of applications for ‘Accredition Cards’ for the delegation. This deadline is stated to have been communicated to respondent no. 1 by the Indian Olympic Association ( IOA ) vide letter 04.05.2026. As per respondent no. 1, the IOA had directed that the names of the athletes be submitted by 07.04.2026. However, upon the former’s request, the IOA extended the time till 14.05.2026.

¶17

Pursuant to the same, the impugned notice for selection trials was issued by respondent no. 1.It is thus contended that respondent no.1 has no

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This is a digitally signed order.

¶19

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 25/05/2026 at 13:06:50

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authority or jurisdiction to extend or bypass the deadline.

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The Court has considered the submissions made by learned counsel appearing for the parties and has perused the record. 9. If be noted that it is not only the petitioner who was called upon for the trial by the impugned notice. All athletes who participated in the trials were intimated about the trials vide the impugned notice. The circumstances under which the trials have been conducted at such short notice have been sufficiently explained in the reply.

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The Court finds that the action of the respondents cannot be held to be illegal and improper, considering that the same is because of the decision taken by the organising committee for the Asian Games, 2026. The selection trials have already taken place and the necessary communication has already been made to the organising committee.

¶23

At this stage, if the selection trials are interfered with, the entire process would be derailed and the participation of other athletes may be prejudiced.

¶24

Keeping in mind the larger public interest, the Court is not inclined to direct for reconducting the trials. So far as the adherence of the policy in Annexure P-4 is concerned, the respondents are directed to strictly adhere to the same in all further events.

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Petition stands disposed of.

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PURUSHAINDRA KUMAR KAURAV, J

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MAY 22, 2026/P

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This is a digitally signed order.

¶29

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 25/05/2026 at 13:06:50

Muskan Rathi v. the Indian Kurash Association & Anr.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Muskan Rathi v. the Indian Kurash Association & Anr.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Why is it important?

What the court decided

Issues for consideration

Procedural history

Parties & counsel

Coram

Case details

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