Education Law – Sports Quota – Eligibility – G.O.Ms.No.10, Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture (Sports) Department, dated 15.07.2008 – Participation in ‘Inline Hockey’ at international event – Whether falls under category of ‘Roller Skating’ – Interpretation of Government Order – Held, yes.

HIGH COURT OF ANDHRA PRADESH AT AMARAVATI

(Special Original Jurisdiction)
Before: The Hon’ble the Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur
& The Hon’ble Sri Justice Challa Gunarjanan
Date: 5th November, 2025
Writ Petition Nos. 28620 & 30111 of 2025
[2025:APHC:46846]

CASE TITLE

Aemireddy Venkata Aneesh Reddy … Petitioner in W.P. No. 28620 of 2025
Versus
The State of Andhra Pradesh & Others … Respondents

(Along with)
W.P. No. 30111 of 2025 – [Connected matter on similar issue]

Counsel:
For Petitioner (in W.P. No. 28620/2025) — Sri Kondaveeti Ravi, Senior Counsel for Sri Munduru Eswar Brahmanand
For Petitioner (in W.P. No. 30111/2025) — Sri Ponnekanti Mallikarjuna Rao
For Respondents — Learned Government Pleader for Sports; Government Pleader for Medical, Health & Family Welfare; Smt. T. V. Sridevi, Standing Counsel for Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences

HEADNOTES

Education Law – Sports Quota – Eligibility – G.O.Ms.No.10, Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture (Sports) Department, dated 15.07.2008 – Participation in ‘Inline Hockey’ at international event – Whether falls under category of ‘Roller Skating’ – Interpretation of Government Order – Held, yes.

Participation in “Inline Hockey” – though not expressly enumerated in G.O.Ms.No.10 (Sports Quota guidelines) – was to be treated as participation in an event of “Roller Skating”, since Inline Hockey is played on roller skates and organized under the aegis of the Andhra Pradesh Roller Skating Association, a recognized association.

Held, denial of sports quota benefit to the petitioner for his participation in the World Championship (2024) in Inline Hockey would be arbitrary and unfair, especially when such credit had been granted to similarly placed candidates in the past.

Result:

• W.P. No. 28620 of 2025 – Allowed. Respondents directed to consider the petitioner’s candidature under Sports Category and grant admission if eligible on merit.

• W.P. No. 30111 of 2025 – Dismissed.

CASE FACTS

1. The petitioner, Aemireddy Venkata Aneesh Reddy, represented India in the World Inline Hockey Championship, 2024.

2. He applied for admission to professional courses under the Sports Quota as per G.O.Ms.No.10, dated 15.07.2008, which includes “Roller Skating” as a recognized event.

3. His candidature was not considered by the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (S.A.A.P.), on the ground that “Inline Hockey” was not specifically mentioned in the G.O.

4. The petitioner contended that Inline Hockey is a recognized roller-skate-based sport governed by the same association that conducts Roller Skating events.

5. The respondents (S.A.A.P. and University) maintained that the G.O. did not list Inline Hockey separately, hence it was not eligible.

6. In a connected W.P. No. 30111 of 2025, another set of petitioners sought a declaration that Inline Hockey cannot be equated to Roller Skating, opposing the petitioner’s claim in W.P. No. 28620/2025.

HELD BY

Per Dhiraj Singh Thakur, C.J. (for the Bench):

1. On examination of the certificates issued by the A.P. Roller Skating Association, it was found that Inline Hockey, Roller Hockey, and Mixed Roller Hockey are all disciplines played using roller skates, under the same governing body.

2. The mere omission of “Inline Hockey” in G.O.Ms.No.10 does not disentitle the petitioner, since it falls within the broader event of Roller Skating recognized under the Government Order.

3. The Court noted that past candidates who participated in Inline Hockey were given credit for such participation and considered for admission under the Sports Quota.

4. Hence, denial of the same benefit to the petitioner would be unjust and discriminatory.

Directions:

• W.P. No. 28620 of 2025 was allowed; respondents directed to consider the petitioner’s case under the Sports Category for admission purposes.

• As a consequence, W.P. No. 30111 of 2025 (raising an opposite contention) was dismissed as devoid of merit.

RESULT

Petition No.	Result	Direction
W.P. No. 28620/2025	Allowed	Respondents to treat participation in Inline Hockey as under Roller Skating; consider for admission under Sports Category
W.P. No. 30111/2025	Dismissed	No merit; consequence of W.P. 28620/2025 order
Costs	—	No order as to costs
Miscellaneous petitions	—	Closed

CITATION

Aemireddy Venkata Aneesh Reddy v. State of Andhra Pradesh & Ors.
(with Connected W.P. No. 30111 of 2025),
decided on 05-11-2025,
(High Court of A.P., per Dhiraj Singh Thakur, C.J. & Challa Gunarjanan, J.)
= 2025:APHC:46846