The Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court on Monday directed the Union Territory to issue a no-objection certificate to Bilquis Mir, a Kashmiri athlete and coach in Canoeing and Kayaking, to travel abroad for participation as a judge in the Canoe Sprint Olympic qualifier event being held in Japan from April 14 -21.
The order came on a writ petition by the athlete working as a physical education teacher in J&K’s education department. She had challenged non-issuance of an NOC by her employer for her trip to Japan despite repeated requests from the president of Indian Kayaking and Canoeing Association. The association in its letter dated March 22 also requested the J&K Youth Services and Sports Secretary to issue the NOC to Bilquis and ensure her participation in the international sports event as “it was a unique honour for the country to be a jury member in the Pre-Olympics”.
Justice Sindhu Sharma, taking note of the petitioner’s submission that denial of opportunity may…