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All India Carrom Federation vs. Union of India & Anr. (with connected appeals by Maharashtra Carrom Association and Union Territory Pondicherry Carrom Association)

Letters Patent Appeal · 2026:DHC:7411-DBDecided 2 Sept 2026New Delhi Bench
LPA 697/2025CNR: DLHC010893532025
Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya · Justice Tejas Karia

Background

The All India Carrom Federation (AICF), which had long represented India internationally in carrom, ran into a dispute with the Sports Ministry and rival state associations over whether its 2023 internal election complied with the government's Sports Code (including the "one state, one unit" rule). A Single Judge had ordered AICF to drop the word "India" from its name and logo unless and until it obtained fresh government recognition, since its recognition had lapsed.

Decision Breakdown

The Division Bench held that under the Sports Code, a federation's recognition can only be suspended or withdrawn through a formal process with notice and a hearing: mere non-renewal of annual recognition does not automatically strip a federation of its status. Since no such formal suspension/withdrawal process had been followed at the relevant time, the Single Judge's order restraining AICF from using "India"/"Indian" was set aside. However, the Court clarified this did not decide the separate, still-pending challenge to a later 2026 Ministry order specifically rejecting AICF's 2023 election, and that AICF must in any event comply with the new National Sports Governance Act.

Lesson Learnt

A government body cannot informally strip an organisation of a legal status (like "recognised national federation") without following the formal procedure, including notice and hearing, that the law itself prescribes for withdrawing that status.

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