Court Directs Appointment of Ad Hoc Committee to Run Affairs of EFI

On February 18, 2026, the Delhi High Court issued directions for the appointment of an Ad-Hoc Committee to take over the administration of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI).[1]

To be sure, judicial scrutiny has trailed the Army-run federation for years over alleged non-compliance with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. After a ‘Relaxation Clause’ was incorporated into the Sports Code in 2021, temporary exemptions were granted from the requirement of affiliation with State/UT Associations in two-thirds of States and related electoral representation norms, citing the sport’s unique requirements.

In January 2025, in a separate petition, the Delhi High Court held these exemptions to be arbitrary, but allowed them to continue on an interim basis to avoid a governance vacuum. A fact-finding committee was constituted to assess ground realities, with directions to the Ministry to take a reasoned decision on continuation, modification, or withdrawal of the exemptions within four weeks of receiving the report. A subsequent challenge to this decision was dismissed by a Division Bench in December 2025.

Turning to the present matter, the Court noted that the tenure of the elected body expired in September 2023 and that, with the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics, there was no basis for continuing the interim arrangements previously put in place or perpetuating an unelected body.

It also took into account the statutory regime now in force, given the phased rollout of the new sports governance framework. In particular, the provisions of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, relating to the election of the executive bodies of National Sports Federations came into force w.e.f. January 1, 2026.

Having regard to the above, the Court directed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to appoint an Ad-Hoc Committee to take over the administration of the EFI. The Committee must finalise EFI’s Constitution and By-laws in line with the new sports governance framework within two months, following which elections must be notified and the newly elected body will take over the administration and ratify the Constitution.

[1] Rajasthan Equestrian Association v. Equestrian Federation of India and Ors., W.P.(C) 10342/2019