MP: Legal battle over top sports award continues as Everest climber Patidar files appeal

Indore, Dec 11 (PTI) Mountaineer Madhusudan Patidar, who climbed Mount Everest eight years ago, has filed an appeal in the Madhya Pradesh High Court challenging the selection of another Everest conqueror, Bhawna Dehariya, for the state's top sports award.

Patidar climbed the world's highest peak in 2017, while Dehariya conquered it in 2019.

On December 8, a single judge of the High Court had dismissed Patidar's writ petition, stating that the government had committed no error in awarding Dehariya the 2023 Vikram Award in the adventure sports category.

Patidar has now filed a writ appeal challenging this decision before a division bench.

Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Vinod Kumar Dwivedi, after a brief hearing on Thursday, posted the matter to December 15.

Patidar has also requested the court, as interim relief, to restrain the state government from conferring the Vikram Award on Dehariya in the meantime.

The selection process was "flawed" and his seniority and achievements were "arbitrarily and discriminatorily" ignored, the petition said.

According to the Madhya Pradesh Awards Rules 2021, athletes in the adventure sports category are eligible to apply for the award if they have consistently participated in adventure sports activities over the past five years.

The single judge of the high court had dismissed Patidar's writ petition on December 8 stating that Patidar, who had conquered Everest eight years ago, was ineligible for the 2023 award.

But the appeal petition contended that no notification had been issued for the 2022 award, so he was entitled to the 2023 Vikram Award.

The award, instituted in 1972, is presented to 12 athletes who excel in various sports. It carries a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh and a memento. The awardees are also appointed in government service. PTI HWP MAS KRK