Delhi High Court Sets Aside Order Restraining Carrom Federation From Using 'India', 'Indian' In Name
The Delhi High Court has set aside an order passed by the single judge restraining the All India Carrom Federation (AICF) from using the expression “India” or “Indian” in its name or logo or in the further competitions conducted by it.A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that non-renewal of annual recognition, by itself, is...
The Delhi High Court has set aside an order passed by the single judge restraining the All India Carrom Federation (AICF) from using the expression “India” or “Indian” in its name or logo or in the further competitions conducted by it.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia said that non-renewal of annual recognition, by itself, is not sufficient to deny in the status of National Sports Federation (NSF) to AICF.
The Court held that where the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 prescribes a specific procedure for suspension or withdrawal of recognition, the same cannot be bypassed.
It observed that in the absence of a notice, opportunity of hearing, reasoned determination and consequential order in accordance with the prescribed procedure, there can be no “automatic or deemed withdrawal or de-recognition” of an NSF.
The Court was dealing with an appeal filed by AICF against a Single Judge's order passed on October 29 last year.
The single judge had said that the recognition of AICF was not renewed by the Union Government, and thus, it had directed the federation to change its name by deleting the word “India.”
The Single Judge had further restrained AICF from using the expressions “India” or “Indian” in its name, logo or competitions. It had, however, permitted the federation to use the expression “Team from India”.
In appeal, the Division Bench has held that the Single Judge proceeded on an unsustainable premise that AICF had ceased to be an NSF merely because its annual recognition had not been renewed.
The Court noted that AICF had not been afforded an opportunity of hearing before renewal of its recognition was refused.
“Once the Sports Code prescribes a specific procedure for suspension or withdrawal of recognition, that procedure could not have been bypassed based on a communication which neither fulfilled the requirements of notice and hearing nor resulted in a reasoned order,” the Court observed.
It added: “Consequently, the assumption underlying the Impugned Order, namely that AICF had ceased to be an NSF at the time when the Impugned Order was passed, is unsustainable.”
At the same time, the Court clarified that setting aside the Single Judge's order does not exempt AICF from complying with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 and the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026.
It noted that AICF had expressed its willingness to comply with the new statutory regime for the purpose of seeking recognition.
Title: ALL INDIA CARROM FEDERATION v. UNION OF INDIA & ANR