SC to hear on Friday plea against refusal to quash sanction to conduct Indian Racing League

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea challenging the Delhi High Court order refusing to quash the sanction given for conducting the Indian Racing League (IRL). A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices Hima Kohli and J B Pardiwala on Wednesday posted the matter for November 25 after senior advocate Vikas Singh mentioned it for urgent hearing. "List on Friday," the bench said.

The appeal contended that the appellant, a shareholder and director of Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL), got information about the dates of the IRL through Instagram and was kept in the dark about meetings being convened by the RPPL board. It alleged the sanction granted to the IRL is replete with infirmities and is not in consonance with the procedural norms of the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI), and that the same must be quashed.

The high court on November 18 refused to quash the sanction given for conducting the Indian Racing League. It also said the central government is aware that the cars, which will be a part of the event, have been imported and, according to law, it will not be prudent for this court to render directions to authorities situated outside its territorial jurisdiction.

The racing league, which will bring together drivers from across the country and abroad, began with the first round being held in Hyderabad on November 19 and 20. Two of the four rounds will be held at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) near Chennai, while the others will be organised at the Hyderabad street circuit.

The high court had upheld an order passed by a judge of the high court that observed there was a serious managerial dispute between the appellant, a shareholder and director of Racing Promotions Pvt Ltd (RPPL), and its board, and the instant petition is a "smokescreen" to settle grievances that the appellant harbours against RPPL.

In November 2018, Xtreme 1 Racing League entered into a sanction and commercial rights agreement with the Federation of Motor Sports Club of India (FMSCI) and the RRPL. The division bench noted that despite the agreement signed on November 10, 2018, the appellant approached the court belatedly and a perusal of the material on record demonstrated that the litigation arises out of the friction between the appellant and other management personnel at the RPPL.