Delhi HC Issues Notice On Wrestler's Plea Against Exclusion From Arjuna Award, Questioning Discretionary Component In Selection Scheme
The Delhi High Court last week issued notice on a petition moved by gold-winning Indian freestyle wrestler Naveen Malik, challenging his exclusion from the Arjuna Award, 2025.
Arjuna Award is a national honour conferred in recognition of outstanding performance in sports.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav noted that Malik is an international wrestler who has secured several national and international medals, including a Gold Medal at the Commonwealth Games 2022, Bronze Medal at the Senior Asian Championship 2022, Gold Medal at the Under-23 Asian Championship 2022, and Bronze Medal at the Under-23 World Championship 2023.
A serving member of the Indian Navy, Malik has further opposed the framework prescribed by the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under the Scheme for Arjuna Award, insofar as it introduces a dual evaluation mechanism of 80% point based assessment and 20% discretionary assessment by the Selection Committee.
He contended that the 20% marks have been left to the assessment of the Selection Committee without any prescribed parameters, benchmarks, scoring indicators or evaluation matrix.
“The Scheme does not prescribe any procedure, standard or measurable basis governing this discretionary component,” the plea states.
Reliance is placed on Shaikh Abdul Hameed v. Union of India, where the High Court had issued directions to the Sports Ministry to frame clear guidelines for conferment of sports awards to avoid arbitrariness, favouritism and subjectivity and increase transparency.
“However, the present Arjuna Award for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games has washed away the point based system by providing a threshold as high as of 20% for subjective evaluation,” the plea adds.
Malik is further aggrieved by selection of wrestler Sonam Malik for conferment of the award, stating, “The exclusion of the Petitioner, notwithstanding his higher score under the objective evaluation component, demonstrates the manner in which the discretionary 20 percent component is capable of determining the final outcome of selection in the absence of any governing standards.”
The Court has now sought response from the Sports Ministry, Selection Committee for Sports Award 2025 and Sports Authority of India. Notice has also been issued to Sonam Malik.
The matter is next listed on February 09.
Appearance: Mr Rahul Mehra, Sr. Adv. with Mr. Chaitaniya gosain, Mr. Shivam Singh, Ms. Ishita Agarwal, Mr. Yoshit Jain and Mr. Hanif Chimthanawala, Advs. for Petitioner; Mr. Ripudaman Bharadwaj (CGSC), Mr. Sanjay Pal(GP), Mr. Kanwarjeet Singh (Department of Sports) Mr. Sanjay pal (Govt. Pleader)
Case title: Naveen v. UoI
Case no.: W.P.(C) 507/2026