Delhi HC orders gender parity in KIPG badminton
Court directs the union sports ministry to ensure equal participation in badminton at the Khelo India Para Games
New Delhi: The Delhi high court has directed the union sports ministry to maintain gender parity between male and female athletes in sports events organised by National Sports Federations (NSFs), expressing displeasure over the Badminton Association of India allocating fewer slots for female players in the 2nd Khelo India Para Games, 2025. The Games will be held here from March 20-22.
Hearing a plea filed by one Rahul Verma against BAI’s February 13 notification laying down the selection criteria for the Games, a bench of Justice Sachin Datta in his March 12 order, uploaded on Thursday, observed: “The allocation of lesser slots to female para athletes does not commend itself to this court. The principle of gender parity in sports is mandated under constitutional provisions as also in terms of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. It is a matter of record that female athletes have brought significant glory to the country and this court cannot countenance a situation where equilibrium is not maintained between male and female contingent in sporting events,” justice Datta said.
“However, it is directed that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports must endeavour to ensure that parity is maintained in the participation of male and female athletes in sporting events organized by the National Sports Federations (NSFs).”
The petitioner had contended that the notification discriminated against female athletes by providing only eight slots for them against 16 for men and disproportionately favoured established international players by allocating 75% of available slots based on world rankings, in contravention of the Khelo India scheme which intends to promote budding national level athletes.
BAI’s counsel attributed it to a reduced pool of performing international athletes, but submitted that the federation would try to increase the participation of female para athletes by providing additional slots by drawing the same from participants in the National Para-badminton Championship, 2024 and the Khelo India Para Games, 2023.
The court then disposed of the petition as the Games start on Thursday.
“In view of the aforesaid statement and in view of the fact that the concerned 2nd Khelo India Para Games, 2025 are just round the corner, this Court is refraining from passing any peremptory/binding directions for the purpose of the said event. However, it is directed that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports ensure that the pool of participating athletes is broad enough to include not only these athletes who have participated in international events, but the same must also adequately accommodate athletes who have participated in domestic/ local/Khelo India Games events,” the court said.