Asian Games 2026: Supreme Court Allows Urgent Listing Of Plea Challenging Dressage Team Selection

The Supreme Court today allowed urgent listing of a plea challenging the Delhi High Court order which refused to interfere with the selection of the Indian Dressage team for the upcoming Asian Games 2026.

The matter was mentioned before a partial Court working days bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Sheel Nagu. The bench directed listing of the matter on July 9.

To recap, initially, a Single Bench of the High Court dismissed two writ petitions filed by riders Sudipti Hajela and Anush Agarwalla challenging the selection list issued by EFI's Ad-hoc Committee on June 16, 2026, for the Dressage discipline at the Asian Games scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

Both petitioners had been placed on the reserve list and sought inclusion in the final team.

Aggrieved, the petitioners appealed to a Division Bench, which yesterday refused to interfere with the selection. Although, the bench noted that some of the requirements in the Selection Criteria were not complied with.

"while we do not find any infirmity in the preparation of the list of Probables in terms of Clause 13 of the Selection Criteria, we are of the view that the requirements prescribed under Clauses 15(a) and 15(b) of the Selection Criteria were not duly complied with", it said.

Despite noting the infirmity, the bench said that it was constrained to refrain from interfering with the Selection process as it was logistically impractical to conduct a further competition within the deadline of July 15.

"Having regard to the deadline of 15.07.2026, it is logistically impracticable to conduct a further competition within the time available, particularly since the riders and horses are located at different places across the globe and transporting horses from different locations to a common venue for conducting a competition amongst all six (6) Probables would not be possible in such a short span of time."

Aggrieved, one of the petitioners (Anush Agarwalla) approached the Supreme Court.

Case Title: ANUSH AGARWALLA v. AD-HOC COMMITTEE FOR GOVERNANCE OF EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION OF INDIA, Diary No.39652/2026