HC asks Centre to consider sportsman`s plea

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Centre to consider a sportsman`s plea that he should be selected for Arjuna awards on the basis of his achievements in the game of Ten Pin Bowling.

Justice V K Jain disposed of a plea while asking Shaik Abdul Hameed, world champion in 2002 CommonWealth Games, to place his representation before the concerned authority and also asked the government to look into his plea for framing the guidelines to confer Arjuna awards to various sports persons. Hameed, in his plea filed through advocate Vasundhara Pathak Masoodi, claimed he was nominated twice i.e. in the year 2005 and 2012 for Arjuna awards by Ten Pin Bowling Federation but the selection committee never recommended his namde for the award. Hameed`s counsel claimed her client is the first Indian to have won two gold and silver medals in Ten Pin Bowling at the CommonWealth Games besides other awards that he won in other international events. Stating that on the basis of all achievements in the field, his name should be recommended for Arjuna awards, the lawyer sought a direction to the government of India to frame the guidelines providing a criteria for conferring Arjuna awards besides a direction to recommend the name of the petitioner for Arjuna awards. The counsel said the court is yet to issue a detailed order on the petitioner`s plea. PTI