The Delhi High Court issued notice to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) on a plea by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) challenging an antitrust probe alleging abuse of dominance.

The Court listed the matter for hearing on March 10 and will consider BFI’s interim request to stay the CCI proceedings.

BFI argued that it performs regulatory functions and that the CCI lacks jurisdiction to investigate actions taken in a regulatory capacity. 

The CCI probe stems from allegations that BFI restricted market access by denying approvals to rival professional basketball leagues.

The Ministry of Sports is set to approach the Delhi High Court to dissolve the Equestrian Federation of India’s (EFI) current executive committee due to persistent governance issues and internal factionalism within the federation.

An ad-hoc panel managed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is proposed to be installed to oversee EFI’s daily operations.

The executive body of the Equestrian Federation of India has exceeded its tenure, and concerns over mismanagement have drawn scrutiny from both the ministry and the international equestrian body.

The international body could impose sanctions if elections are not held, and the Delhi High Court is expected to hear the matter later this month.

The Delhi High Court dismissed a Public Interest Litigation seeking directions to ban Bangladesh from international cricket tournaments over alleged violence against the Hindu community.

The Court held that such reliefs involved foreign policy and international relations, which fall exclusively within the domain of the executive.

It observed that no writ could be issued to bodies like the BCCI, ICC, or foreign cricket boards, nor could the Court dictate how India conducts its diplomatic affairs.

Terming the plea frivolous and non-maintainable, the Bench warned of imposing costs, following which the petitioner withdrew the petition.

[Devyani Singh v. UOI & Ors.]

The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear Anurag Thakur’s plea seeking modification of its 2017 direction asking him to “cease and desist” from association with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The plea arises from an order in which the Court initiated contempt and perjury proceedings against Thakur for filing a false affidavit concerning a letter written to International Cricket Council chairperson Shashank Manohar on BCCI’s autonomy.

Though contempt proceedings were later dropped, Thakur now seeks modification of the restraint.

The matter will be heard after two weeks.

The Union Government has notified the National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, laying down a statutory framework for the functioning of National Sports Bodies and Regional Sports Federations.

The Rules prescribe norms on the composition of general bodies and executive committees, inclusion of sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs), election procedures, disqualifications, and registration of affiliate units.

They mandate the inclusion of at least four SOMs in general bodies, with fifty per cent representation for women SOMs, and require adequate representation of women in executive committees.

The Rules also detail eligibility criteria, tiered achievement-based classification of SOMs, election timelines, disqualification grounds, and require sports bodies to amend their bye-laws within six months.

The Supreme Court has restrained the declaration of the results of the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) elections amid allegations of fraud and electoral roll manipulation involving members of a BCCI Sub-Committee.

The Court directed that results shall not be declared until further orders, safeguarding the sanctity of the process.

The plea alleges irregularities in the preparation of the electoral roll, including reliance on a purportedly anti-dated ombudsman order and deviation from the JKCA Constitution, despite elections being conducted under the supervision of a court-appointed electoral officer.

[Youth Cricket Club & Ors. v. Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association & Anr.]

The Central Government has partially enforced the National Sports Governance Act with effect from January 1, 2026, bringing into force provisions relating to the establishment and governance of National Sports Bodies.

The notified provisions cover the National Olympic Committee, National Paralympic Committee, National Sports Federations, and Regional Sports Federations, and initiate the constitution of the National Sports Board and the National Sports Tribunal.

The Ministry said the phased implementation is aimed at ensuring a smooth transition to a statutory sports governance framework. Under the Act, sports bodies will be required to follow prescribed governance norms, including limits on executive committee size and inclusion of sportspersons of merit.

Full implementation will follow after completion of elections under the new framework.

After 21 years, the Delhi High Court upheld the levy of withholding tax on a portion of LG Electronics India’s sponsorship payments for the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.

The Court held that one-third of the USD 11 million payment amounted to “royalty” for the right to use ICC trademarks, taxable under Indian law and the India–Singapore DTAA.

Rejecting LG’s argument, the Court observed that the use of ICC marks was not incidental to advertising but involved substantive and global trademark rights under the sponsorship agreement.

[LG Electronics v. Department of Income Tax]

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has deferred elections of all National Sports Federations until December 2026, allowing existing office-bearers to continue even if their tenure expires.

The decision applies to federations such as the Board of Control for Cricket in India, All India Football Federation, and Badminton Association of India. 

The Ministry said the move was necessary to give federations adequate time to amend their constitutions and electoral processes in line with the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.

It noted that federations must restructure their general bodies and voting mechanisms to ensure full compliance once the Act and accompanying rules are notified.

[UOI v. National Sports Federations]

The Competition Commission of India has ordered a detailed investigation into the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) for allegedly abusing its dominant position by denying approval to private basketball events. 

The case arose after Elite Pro Basketball (EPBPL) sought BFI’s authorisation in 2022 to launch the Elite Pro Basketball League, but received no response. 

EPBPL later alleged that BFI demanded exorbitant amounts during discussions and warned players, referees, and coaches against participating in unsanctioned tournaments. The CCI observed that such conduct may amount to refusal to deal and forced exclusivity under the Competition Act. 

The Director General has been directed to investigate and submit a report within 60 days.

The Delhi High Court has refused interim relief to horse owner Ravinder Pal Singh Chauhan, who sought to restrain the Delhi Race Club from enforcing its ‘family unit’ cap for the 2025–26 racing season. 

The Court upheld the rule limiting each family unit to 40 horses and allowing only three entries per race, observing that it prevents monopolisation and potential rigging. It found a rational nexus between the rule and the objective of ensuring fair races. 

The Court also noted that Chauhan had an effective alternative remedy before the appellate body, and failed to establish a prima facie case or irreparable harm warranting an interim injunction.

[Ravinder Pal Singh Chauhan v. Delhi Race Club Ltd & Ors]

The Delhi High Court directed the Central Government to frame fair and inclusive criteria for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, ensuring representation of hearing-impaired sportspersons.

The Court observed that the current framework discriminated against deaf athletes compared to para-sportspersons, in violation of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The Court further ordered an extension of the application deadline until the revised criteria are notified. The ruling came in a plea by two deaf athletes, including an internationally acclaimed Deaflympics gold medallist, seeking equal recognition in national sports awards.

[Virender Singh & Ors. v Union of India & Ors.]

The Delhi High Court restrained the All India Carrom Federation from using the words “India” or “Indian” in its name, logo, or competitions.

The Court held that the Federation was a private body without renewed recognition from the Union Government under the National Sports Code.

The Court directed the AICF to amend its name and clarified that it may only describe its teams as “Team from India,” not “Indian Team.”

The Bench observed that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had confirmed that the Centre no longer recognized AICF as a National Sports Federation.

[Maharashtra Carrom Association v Union of India and Anr & Ors]

The Supreme Court examined whether match-fixing in sports amounted to “cheating” under Section 420 of the IPC or corresponding provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The BCCI urged the Court to criminalise match-fixing, claiming it involved deception and financial harm to spectators and sponsors, citing the Law Commission’s 2018 recommendation to treat sports fraud as a criminal offence.

The matter arose from the Karnataka Premier League 2019, where players allegedly received payments to manipulate match outcomes. The High Court had quashed the FIR, ruling it was not cheating.

[State of Karnataka & Anr. v Abrar Kazi & Ors.]