Courts will not interfere with expert selection decisions unless they are arbitrary or contrary to law. However, procedural non-compliance with notified selection criteria is reviewable, though judicial restraint is exercised when correcting the error would be logistically impossible and detrimental to broader national sporting interests.

JUDGMENT

TEJAS KARIA, J

1. The present Appeals arise out of the common judgment dated 29.06.2026 (“Impugned Judgment”) passed in W.P.(C) No. 8329/2026 and W.P.(C) No. 8290/2026 (“Writ Petitions”).

2. The Writ Petitions were instituted assailing the Selection Process adopted by the Ad-Hoc Committee of the Equestrian Federation of India (“EFI”) in issuing the selection list dated 16.06.2026 (“Selection List”) for participation in the Equestrian discipline of Dressage at the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Japan from 19.09.2026 to 04.10.2026 (“Asian Games”).

FACTUAL BACKGROUND:

3. EFI is the National Sports Federation (“NSF”) for Equestrian Sports in India and is recognised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India (“Ministry”), the Indian Olympic Association (“IOA”) and the Federation Equestre Internationale (“FEI”).

4. In 2025, the Ministry issued a notification formulating the Selection Criteria for the Asian Games, Para-Asian Games 2026 and other multi-sport events.

5. On 12.02.2026, EFI issued Selection Criteria Version 4.0 (“Selection Criteria”) for selection of the Indian Equestrian Team for the Asian Games, prescribing the qualifying period, Minimum Eligibility Requirements (“MER”) and the method for evaluation of riders on the basis of comparative merit by the Selection Committee to be appointed by EFI (“Selection Committee”).

6. Under the Selection Criteria for qualification for the Asian Games, all riders were required to participate in the Selection Process across three (3) disciplines, namely Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing.

7. For the purposes of the present Appeals, the relevant criteria pertain only to the Dressage Event of the Asian Games, which comprise of both Team and Individual competitions conducted in a mixed format. The first day would comprise of the Team Competition and the First Individual Qualifier Competition, followed by the Second Individual Qualifier Competition on the second day and the Individual Final Competition on the third day. For qualification in the Dressage Event, riders are permitted to compete in up to three (3) nominated qualifying competitions during the MER window and, for determination of the order of merit, the best two (2) results in which MERs had been achieved within the prescribed limits are to be considered. The Selection Procedure further provides that up to six (6) riders, described as Probables, would be shortlisted based on the competitive merit of each horse-rider combination. For inclusion in the list of Probables, each horse-rider combination was required to achieve at least one (1) valid MER within the prescribed limits, and participation in at least one (1) out of the three (3) competitions was mandatory. In respect of the Dressage Event, the highest cumulative score was to be taken into consideration for determining merit. The six (6) Probables shortlisted based on MERs/Results in the Selection Trials, and the three (3) or four (4) riders securing the highest scores, were to be selected as the final Team nominees on merit to represent India.

8. In terms of Clause 5(c)(i) of the Selection Criteria, riders based abroad who intend to participate in the Selection Trials are required to intimate EFI, by SMS, e-mail or WhatsApp, at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the first horse inspection for each trial.

9. Clause 8(d) of the Selection Criteria pr