NEW DELHI: In a recent hearing before the Delhi High Court, the Delhi government submitted that it cannot amend the annual school sports calendar to prohibit outdoor sporting events during the winter months, even as air pollution levels in the National Capital Region remain a significant health concern.
Case Background
The Court was hearing a petition (Nysa Bedi Vs Government of Delhi) moved by a group of school students. The petitioners have sought directions to the Department of Education to ensure that outdoor sports tournaments, trials, and coaching camps are not scheduled during the peak winter months (November to January) when Delhi’s air quality is verifiably hazardous.
The petitioners argued that scheduling these events during periods of “severe” and “hazardous” air quality forces vulnerable students to engage in strenuous physical activity in a toxic environment, which they contend violates fundamental rights under Articles 21 and 21A of the Constitution.
Government and Judicial Stance
Representing the Delhi government, Standing Counsel Sameer Vashisht informed the Court that the administration must balance the needs and logistical constraints of thousands of students, making a blanket amendment to the annual sports calendar untenable.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the matter, expressed reservations about the Court’s role in dictating the scheduling of government-run sporting events. Clarifying that previous judicial observations from November 2025 were requests for an “endeavour” rather than binding mandates, the Court observed:
“The Court understands that they are children. The department also understands… they have some difficulty and cannot redo it for some reason. We can adjust the decision taken but we cannot take the decision.”
Next Steps
The High Court has not issued a binding directive at this stage, noting that it would appreciate the reasons provided by authorities if they remain unable to adjust the schedule after applying their best judgment. The matter is now listed for further hearing on March 24, 2026.
The Court was also informed that the Supreme Court has directed the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider incorporating sporting activities into the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), an emergency framework designed to control polluting activities in the city.
Nidhi Kapoor is an environmental journalist and air pollution monitoring expert with 8 years of experience. She specializes in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting air quality data to identify pollutant sources and their impact on public health. Through her investigative reporting, Nidhi develops insights and advocates for evidence-based solutions to reduce atmospheric contamination.