The Supreme Court has issued stay the selection of a weightlifting coach under the Sports Authority of Goa after a woman candidate alleged unfair bias. The bench issued a stay, calling for a detailed response.
The Supreme Court issued stay on the selection process for a weightlifting coach under the Sports Authority of Goa after a woman candidate raised allegations of bias.
A bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and K V Viswanathan issued notices to the sports authority and others in response to the woman’s plea regarding the recruitment.
She contested the integrity of the selection process, highlighting that her former coach against whom she had previously lodged a harassment complaint was serving as one of the examiners.
The bench stated,
“Permission to file the special leave petition, is granted… Issue notice, returnable within six weeks. In the meantime, the order impugned dated June 23, 2025 passed by the high court shall remain stayed.”
Advocate Salvador Santosh Rebello, representing the petitioner, argued that the former coach’s role as an examiner compromised the fairness of the selection process, citing personal bias and prior misconduct.
He noted that the Goa government acknowledged her concerns and decided to conduct the physical and skill tests again with independent evaluators.
However, the Bombay High Court reversed this decision without hearing the petitioner and ordered the written test to proceed as initially planned.
The recruitment, which was advertised in February 2024, involved a three-stage process consisting of a physical fitness test, a practical test, and a written examination.
Both the petitioner and another female candidate passed the physical test, but the petitioner alleged bias and claimed her competitor received an unfair advantage.
She mentioned,
“The tests were recorded and video graphed,”
She maintained that a thorough review would uncover bias and procedural irregularities. In the subsequent skill test, the petitioner received only 17.5 percent of the marks, falling below the qualifying threshold, while her rival scored 23.5 percent and advanced in the selection process.
Case Title: VAISHNAVI S. UGADEKAR Versus THE STATE OF GOA AND ORS., Diary No. 35054-2025