PULLING up the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, Commissioner, Pune, for delay in taking decision on sports quota concession and grace marks to Vidarbha Hockey Association’s players, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has asked it to take decision within three weeks and convey it to the petitioner (VHA). The bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Raj J Wakode, on Thursday, gave direction to the respondents after VHA approached the court seeking immediate decision as the concerned departments did not respond to their reply for over a year. “In view of the submission made by petitioner, we dispose of the present writ petition with a direction to respondent No 1 (The State of Maharashtra Through Secretary, Ministry of Sports and Youth Welfare) and Respondent No 2 (The Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, Commissioner, Pune) more specifically respondent No 2 to decide the aforesaid representation dated 09.05.2025 within a stipulated period of three weeks from the date of production of the order,” the bench stated. “The decision taken there upon shall be communicated to the petitioner (VHA) within a period of two weeks thereafter,” the bench ordered.

 

VHA was denied sports quota concession and grace marks for its players by Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Government of Maharashtra, last year. The association stated that its players were getting concessions and grace marks until 2024, despite it was de-affiliated from Hockey India in 2020. VHA, through its counsels Senior Adv Firdos Mirza, Adv Anurag Mankar and Adv Niranjan Jadhav, also submitted that it is entitled and qualified to membership with Hockey Maharashtra as per the order passed by Hon’ble High Court in WP No 20253/2020 and also in accordance with the letter dated 06.01.2020 issued by Hockey India. VHA also submitted that as per the affidavit filed by Hockey India, the association can function and participate in all the national level, state-level and other tournaments, selections under its own banner. It also admitted that only in respect of participation in national level championship organised by Hockey India that VHA will have to participate through Hockey Maharashtra. The association also submitted that withdrawal of sports quota concession and grace marks would result in grave prejudice to the players associated with VHA and adversely affect their education and career prospects.