Ministry yet to get copy of notice on Khel Ratna
The sports ministry is yet to get a copy of the notice by the Karnataka High Court, seeking clarifications on the criteria for shortlisting an athlete for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
Para-athlete HN Girisha had petitioned the High Court for a stay on the award as he had more points than Sania Mirza, who was recommended for the Khel Ratna. While dwelling on the matter, Justice A S Bopanna directed the ministry and Sania to reply within 10 days.
Sources in the ministry said they hadn’t got either the notice or petition filed by Girisha. “The notice as far as we understand gives us a time of 10 days. We will reply when we get the notice,” he said.
Members of the committee, headed by Justice (retd) VK Bali, used their discretion to give the award to Sania. The committee used two clauses in the awards scheme to merit the recommendation. The first clause states: “The equivalence of any other sports discipline/ tournament, not listed by the ministry, will be decided by the selection committee with the reference to the ones mentioned in the list and points be allotted.”
The second clause states that the committee is not bound to stick to the points system.
President Pranab Mukherjee will confer the Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards, Dronacharya and Dhyan Chand Awards in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Saturday.