High court urges Chandigarh to safeguard tennis training after CLTA lease expiry

The Punjab and Haryana High Court says sports are a “fundamental right” under the UNESCO charter, expects UT to ensure young enthusiasts don’t lose access to facilities.

Written by Manraj Grewal Sharma

September 22, 2025 04:54 PM IST

3 min read

Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, speaking for the bench also comprising Justice Sanjiv Berry, refrained from adjudicating the contractual dispute but made strong observations on the State’s duty to promote sports.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently disposed of a public interest litigation filed by parents of trainees at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA), while underscoring that sports must be encouraged as a fundamental right and urging the Union Territory administration to ensure uninterrupted access to tennis facilities for youngsters.

The petitioners, Rahul Khandelwal and Abhishek Garg, who appeared in person, challenged a September 10 communication by the UT’s Joint Director of Sports, terminating the CLTA’s lease on the Tennis Stadium in Sector 10-C following the expiry of its agreement. The administration had also rejected the association’s request for renewal, directing it to vacate the premises within seven days.

Expressing concern for budding players, the petitioners argued that “lot many young enthusiasts of the sport of tennis are not only disheartened but would be deprived of the affordable coaching and other facilities extended since last three years by CLTA”. They pointed out that several students from outside Chandigarh stayed in hostels here to pursue training, and the decision had “come as a bolt from the blue to all the budding sportspersons”.

Defending the decision, senior standing counsel Amit Jhanji submitted that the matter was “pure and simple contractual,” as the lease had expired, and any grievance should be taken to a civil court or through arbitration. He assured the bench that “the quantity and quality of equipment, facilities and services rendered by the U.T. Administration would not be less than what were being enjoyed by the tennis enthusiasts/trainees under the CLTA” .

On September 19, Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, speaking for the bench, which also comprised Justice Sanjiv Berry, refrained from adjudicating the contractual dispute but made strong observations on the State’s duty to promote sports.

“It would be appropriate to hope and expect that the U.T. Administration, which is a ‘State’ under Article 12 of the Constitution of India, ensures that adequate and sufficient opportunity is afforded to the youngsters of Chandigarh, as well as from outside, to avail the facilities of playing and undergoing tennis coaching,” the court said .

The order added, “Any activity of any sport is a healthy activity, which ought to be encouraged by the State and its functionaries… A healthy body leads to a healthy mind, which in turn is helpful in developing a responsible and capable citizen of this country.”

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Invoking international and national frameworks, the bench noted, “We have no manner of doubt that the UT Administration shall keep the aforesaid avowed principles in mind… especially in the backdrop of UNESCO Charter postulating that practice of physical education, physical activity and sport is a Fundamental Right for all. We expect that future course of action taken by the UT-Administration shall be in line with the object behind The National Sports Governance Act, 2025.”

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