Srinagar, Sep 15: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday allowed international canoeing coach and umpire Bilquis Mir to travel as a technical official for the Asian Games beginning September 19 in Japan after being rapped by the Supreme Court for withholding the No Objection Certificate.
The Supreme Court, which came down heavily on the Union Territory administration during a hearing last week, had given time on or before September 15 to the Jammu and Kashmir government to issue all necessary orders for Mir, who has been waging legal battles with the UT administration for the past four years.
“Bilquis Mir, Physical Education Teacher, is hereby accorded the requisite limited NOC/permission and is relieved for the purpose of joining and discharging the remaining assignment as Coach/Chief Coach of the Indian National Kayaking and Canoeing Team and for accompanying and assisting the Indian National Team in connection with the Asian Games, 2026,” the order, which came on the last day of the Supreme Cout’s deadline, said.
The order, issued by the Youth Services and Sports Department, relieves Mir from her duties as a physical education teacher for the duration of the Games in Aichi-Nagoya “…Bilquis Mir shall report back to her parent Department immediately upon completion of the aforesaid assignment. The period during which she remains away from her ordinary place of posting pursuant to this order shall not be treated as unauthorised absence, strictly in terms Of the judgment of the Supreme Court,” the three-page order said.
The government had denied her permission for foreign sporting assignments on June 19 this year, citing an ongoing departmental inquiry regarding her appointment qualifications, past international visits, and lack of vigilance clearance. This order was in contempt of a High Court order which had asked the government to grant her permission to travel. “She is an international umpire and going as an official,” a source in the central Sports Ministry told PTI.
Mir, who missed two international events because of the denial of permission, has been fighting legal battles against the government since 2023.
As the High Court, which was hearing her contempt petition, decided to summon the officials in person, the department moved a petition in Division Bench which agreed with the government’s decision of not giving her permission to travel, prompting her and the Federation to approach the Supreme Court. On September 10, the Supreme Court, while setting aside the order of the High Court, also quashed the June order of Jammu and Kashmir administration, which had denied her permission citing pending departmental inquiries and service conditions.
The top court emphasised on the importance of time management in competitive sport, and said “sports administration necessarily involves strict timelines.
“Selection, training camps, qualifying events and international competitions operate upon fixed schedules which cannot be postponed to await completion of ordinary administrative processes.” The top court noted that the high court misdirected itself by treating the arrangement as an ordinary service matter while failing to recognise the urgent, time-sensitive nature of a national sports assignment. “The error in the impugned judgment lies in holding that the subsequent administrative order dated 19.06.2026 rendered the earlier delay inconsequential,” the bench said.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau of Jammu and Kashmir had filed a case against her in 2023, but it was dismissed by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in July 2025.
The High Court had delivered a scathing rebuke to authorities, saying it “seems that the people at the helm of affairs are leaving no stone unturned in harassing such talented people”.
“This attitude of ACB clearly smacks of wreaking vengeance upon the petitioner (Mir). The present case appears to be nothing but a witch-hunt launched against the petitioner by vested interests,” the High Court had said in its order.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had approached the Supreme Court to appeal against the quashing of the FIR, but the top court, while condoning the delay in filing an appeal, dismissed the plea. In July 2025, as per the documents submitted in the court by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, an internal departmental inquiry was also initiated against Mir. (PTI)
