The High Court listed the next hearing on December 16. (File Photo) The Delhi High Court pulled up the Centre and Army on Thursday for allowing a private sports body to operate out of the cantonment area, asking the authorities to produce relevant files regarding the matter before it.
“Tomorrow every federation will start coming. Give me this. Give me high court. You will give somebody India Gate also?” Justice Rekha Palli asked.
The court made the observations after it was told that a request in this regard had come from the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Brigadier Sameer Lanba had earlier told the court that it has been a tradition that the Army has produced the most number of Olympians and has been a custodian of riders.
To this, the court said: “That may be your good conduct, but that does not make a difference. How do you permit a private body to use your land?” It added that a private organisation cannot be permitted to have its headquarters there.
When the court was told that only a small space (20 ft x 12 ft) was given to the federation for its prefabricated structure, the court stated, “Whatever it is, it cannot be permitted. A private organization holding its registered office on Army land? Unheard of.”
Listing the case for hearing on December 16, the court said that a competent officer will remain present during the proceedings.
The High Court, on December 6, had taken suo motu cognizance of the matter after it noticed that the address of the Federation was ‘B Squadron, 61 Cavalry, Cariappa Marg, Delhi Cantt’.
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