New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Wednesday again refused to take up the plea against the Siri Fort Sports Complex being closed down to its members due to the Commonwealth Games. The plea will come up for hearing Friday.
Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice Valmiki Mehta refused to hear the case as one of the sitting judges had a membership of the sports complex. Earlier too, a division bench last week refused to take up the petition on the same grounds and transferred it to another bench.
The division bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Reva Khetrapal Aug 31 transferred the case to another bench and refused to hear the matter as counsel Ruchi Sindwani, appearing for the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, happened to be a relative of a sitting judge.
The petition was moved by members of the Siri Fort Sports Complex in south Delhi challenging the decision of its secretary to close down the complex from Aug 16 for the Commonwealth Games. The venue is supposed to host events like badminton and squash from Oct 4 to 14.
Atul Wadhera, a Supreme Court lawyer who filed the petition, alleged the move to deny hundreds of members to avail of the facilities of the complex was unjustified.
‘There are only two events to be held at the complex for the Commonwealth Games, while there are about 29 activities due to which people come here on a daily basis,’ Wadhera mentioned in the petition.
The decision has affected not only retired people but even children as they have been denied entry to play in the children’s park.
‘People are not allowed to jog and play football or engage in other activities. For the sake of two events, you are stopping people from availing facilities and participating in other activities,’ said the petition.
It also sought immediate opening of the complex as an interim measure allowing people to use the jogging tracks, for children to use the park, and youngsters the football ground. More then 70 percent of the members are retired, elderly people.
