Sportspersons can be picked for RS: Centre

The central government on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court Sachin Tendulkar was nominated to the Rajya Sabha as per the constitutional provision which also allows induction of experts from the field of sports.

Earlier, the court had asked the Centre to explain how the sports category was covered while considering a person for nomination to the Rajya Sabha.

Additional Solicitor General Rajeev Mehra said the provision under Article 80 of the Constitution is not confined to inducting experts only from the fields of science, arts, literature and social services but also from sports, education and other areas.

The ASG placed a copy of the affidavit before a Bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, which was earlier filed in the Allahabad High Court on a similar plea against Tendulkar's nomination to the Upper House. The ASG also told the Bench the government has taken the same stand before the Allahabad High Court on the issue and the copy of the affidavit would be produced for the court's perusal.

The Centre was responding to a PIL filed by Ram Gopal Singh Sisodia, a former Delhi MLA, challenging Tendulkar's nomination, alleging he does not possess any of the qualifications prescribed under Article 80 of the Constitution for being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

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