Punjab and Haryana High Court: In a petition filed under Article 226/227 of the Constitution seeking to direct Respondent 3-Department of Sports, Union Territory, Chandigarh for grant of Sports Gradation Certificate enabling the petitioner to get admission in B.A./ B.Com (Hons.) L.L.B. (5 Years Integrated Course) in Panjab University (‘the University’), Chandigarh for the Session 2024-25, the Division Bench of Sandeep Moudgil* and Deepak Gupta, JJ., observed that policy letter dated 05-05-2023, provided for reservation for admission under Sports Category in the schools/colleges recognized by the Chandigarh Administration and situated in the Chandigarh. However, in the present case, the petitioner was seeking admission in the University which was not under the control of Chandigarh Administration. The Court stated that there was no bar in the policy letter or any other document before the Court, that the Sports Department could not issue a Certificate to a sportsman who had represented the Chandigarh team but studies in school/colleges of other States.
The Court stated that it would be totally unjust, unfair, arbitrary and irrational to deny issuance of Sports Gradation Certificate to the petitioner and accordingly, directed Respondent 3 to issue Sports Gradation Certificate as per entitlement to the petitioner within a period of three days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order.
Background
On 11-06-2024, Respondent 3 denied the Sports Gradation Certificate enabling the petitioner to get admission, without assigning any reasons to the application submitted by the petitioner. However, the petitioner was orally informed that since he was studying in 10+2 at SAS Nagar, Mohali, he was not entitled for Sports Gradation Certificate from the Sports Department, U.T., Chandigarh. Thereafter, the petitioner approached the Government of Panjab, but it also denied the same on the conjecture that since he had played and participated in the sport i.e. Shooting for Union Territory, Chandigarh Administration, the necessary certificate on that account could be issued only by the State concerned and not by any other State.
Further, when the petitioner again approached Respondent 3, the stand was same and Sports Gradation Certificate was not issued so far, which compelled the petitioner to approach this Court by instant writ petition.
Analysis, Law, and Decision
The Court noted that the petitioner had passed his matriculation and senior secondary certificate examination form a school in Mohali. He participated in the National Competitions in the shooting game and State Championship while representing Chandigarh (U.T. team) from time to time and had been decorated with certificates of merit. While seeking admission in the University, he required a gradation certificate for achievements in the shooting game so that the benefit of 5% of reserved seats under sports category could be availed by him. Accordingly, he applied to the sports department and the said gradation certificate was denied by respondent 3, on the sole ground that the petitioner had not passed the qualifying examination from school/college recognized by the Chandigarh Administration and situated in the Union Territory of Chandigarh as a regular student, for at least two years before applying for gradation certificate.
The Court noted that the Chandigarh Rifle Association, through which the petitioner had played at the State and National level for the Chandigarh team was affiliated to National Rifle Association of India and Chandigarh Olympic Association. Further, the Chandigarh Olympic Association was a body recognized and affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association through which outstanding sportsmen represent the country in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games and, therefore, the petitioner’s participation was needed to be well recognized and appreciable.
The Court stated that one should not lose its sight to the fact that participating and representing a State only entitles a sportsman to play for the Country at the highest level in the international arena. Therefore, the petitioner was needed to be treated as a class apart for which provisions were made for the admissions in the academic courses and in the Government Departments for public appointments by keeping seats reserved under Sports Category.
The Court stated that the policy letter dated 05-05-2023, provided for reservation for admission under Sports Category in the schools/colleges recognized by the Chandigarh Administration and situated in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. However, in the present case, the petitioner was seeking admission in the Panjab University, Chandigarh which was not under the control of Chandigarh Administration. The Court stated that there was no bar in the policy letter or from any other document before the Court, that the Sports Department could not issue a Certificate to a sportsman who had represented the Chandigarh team but studies in school/colleges of other States.
The Court stated that the policy letter did recognize the game of shooting and also, provided the grant of gradation certificate to such sportsman who represented the Chandigarh team in the competitions mentioned in the policy organized by Sports Federation. Hence, the petitioner was eligible for consideration of certificates, which was to be issued by Respondent 3. The Court stated that it would be totally unjust, unfair, arbitrary and irrational to deny issuance of Sports Gradation Certificate to the petitioner on the pretext that he was not a student from the schools/colleges recognized by the Chandigarh Administration and situated in the Union Territory of Chandigarh despite the fact that he was not seeking admission in any of the institutions under the control of Chandigarh Administration.
Accordingly, the Court directed Respondent 3 to issue Sports Gradation Certificate as per entitlement to the petitioner within a period of three days from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order. Since, the admission process in the University was not completed, the Court directed to convey the competent authority of the Panjab University, Chandigarh to keep one seat reserved for the petitioner subject to his eligibility and merit, in case by the stipulated time the petitioner gets his gradation certificate.
[Manraj Singh Chatha v. Panjab University, 2024 SCC OnLine P&H 5594, decided on 14-06-2024]
*Judgment authored by- Justice Sandeep Moudgil
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioner: Vishal Aggarwal, Advocate
For the Respondents: Akshay Kumar Goel, Advocate; Sanjiv Ghai, Advocate and J.S. Rattu, DAG, Punjab.