India, March 17 -- The Delhi high court has directed the union sports ministry to maintain gender parity between male and female athletes in sports events organised by National Sports Federations (NSFs), expressing displeasure over the Badminton Association of India allocating fewer slots for female players in the 2nd Khelo India Para Games, 2025. The Games will be held here from March 20-22.

Hearing a plea filed by one Rahul Verma against BAI's February 13 notification laying down the selection criteria for the Games, a bench of Justice Sachin Datta in his March 12 order, uploaded on Thursday, observed: "The allocation of lesser slots to female para athletes does not commend itself to this court. The principle of gender parity in sports...