Bombay High Court Orders Maharashtra to Resolve Vidarbha Hockey Association Recognition Dispute Within Three Weeks The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra Directorate of Sports and Youth Services to resolve the long-pending recognition plea of the Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) within three weeks. The court emphasized that the association’s detailed representation, submitted on May 9, 2025, had remained pending for over a year. A division bench comprising Justices Anil Kilor and Raj Wakode mandated the directorate to communicate its decision to the VHA within two weeks of the final ruling. The petition, filed by the VHA, challenged a state government notification dated April 7, 2025, which excluded the association from the list of recognized sports bodies eligible for benefits such as sports quota concessions, grace marks, and government employment opportunities. Senior counsel Firdos Mirza, along with Anurag Mankar and Niranjan Jadhav, represented the VHA. The association argued that its exclusion from the recognized list was arbitrary and lacked procedural fairness, as the state government failed to issue a show-cause notice or grant the association an opportunity to respond. The VHA contended that the derecognition has severely impacted hockey players across 11 districts in Vidarbha. The association highlighted that the loss of recognition has deprived players of critical benefits, including eligibility for sports quota concessions, grace marks, and government job opportunities. Additionally, the VHA claimed that the subsequent notice issued by the collector to terminate the lease of its ground was a direct consequence of its derecognition. Established in 1962, the VHA represents 11 district hockey associations in the Vidarbha region.#bombay_high_court #firdos_mirza #vidarbha_hockey_association #anurag_mankar
