New Delhi: 

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Paralympic Committee to recommend Naresh Kumar Sharma’s name as an additional participant in the 50m Para Shooter category for the Tokyo Paralympics, which is scheduled to begin on August 24.

The court has asked for a compliance report by tomorrow.

Mr Sharma had moved the top court challenging a Delhi High Court order that said his plea (related to his non-selection) would be heard on Friday – four days after the deadline for entries.

The top court’s order comes as relief for Mr Sharma – a five-time Paralympics shooter and an Arjuna Award winner – who had contended his non-selection in favour of another athlete – Deepak – was “arbitrary, discriminatory and capricious”.

“The petitioner humbly seeks intervention of this court in the present matter as the legitimate opportunity of the petitioner to participate in Tokyo Paralympics in R7 event, and consequently bring laurels to the country, will be lost if the arbitrary, discriminatory and capricious selection… by the selection committee of PCI (Paralympics Committee of India is allowed,” his petition had said.

“If matter is heard on August 6, it would make the plea infructuous,” Mr Sharma told the top court.

Mr Sharma has alleged that the PCI selection committee adopted wrong criteria – which he said were “contrary to the norms of the National Sports Development Code – for selection of athletes.

Mr Sharma pointed out that in order to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, a para shooter must have participated in at least two events approved by World Shooting Para Sports.

However, Deepak (who was selected in his place) has participated in only one such event, Mr Sharma claimed, adding that the committee had added points for participating in the Serbia Grand Prix, which is not approved by World Shooting Para Sports.