Official Kho-Kho Regulations
- Ground / Playfield shall be marked properly.
- Referee shall call both the captains for the spin of the coin (Toss).
- Stand at the center of the Court facing the Scoring table/ Main Stage with both the captains on either side.
- Referee shall instruct one of them to call the choice of the side of the coin. He shall then spin the coin and declare the winner of the toss. After choosing defense or attack, cannot change his decision.
- The winner of the toss shall raise his arm immediately and indicate by his index finger either to the Central Lane or to the boundary Line for opting Attacking or Defense respectively.
- No captain shall touch or pick up the coin. If any captain does so, Referee shall declare the captain of the other side as winner.
- Any Attacker shall occupy the Attacker Block facing the Side Line in such a way that no two adjacent Attacker facing the same Side Line.
- The Attacker shall stand in either of the Free Zones to start the Attack.
- After the commencement of a turn, no Attacker shall leave the Attacker Block without getting a KHO or change the face. If he does so, it is a Foul.
- At the commencement of a turn, the first batch of three Defenders shall be inside the Field and remaining Runners shall occupy the seats meant for them at dugout.
- An Attacker cannot cross the Central Lane between the Post Lines to go to the other half of the Court or to the Free Zone.
- Foul shall not be declared if an Attacker touches the Central lane. If an attacker crosses both the lines of the central lane completely with his foot, then consider it as crossing the central lane FOUL.
- When KHO is given: it shall be given from behind an Attacker by touching the Attacker by hand (Palmar side) between the shoulder and waist line while uttering "KHO" loudly.
- If the action of uttering the word KHO precedes the action of touching by hand, then it shall be deemed as a Foul.
- An Attacker shall take the direction to which he turns his shoulder line. If he turns his shoulder line through more than a right angle to the direction already taken, it shall be a Foul (Receding).
- The deliberate action of moving/tilting shoulder, thigh or any other part of the body to obstruct a Defender shall be treated as a Foul.
- A Defender shall be declared out if he is touched by hand by an Attacker without violating any rule or if he goes out of Field.
- No sitting Attacker shall stand unnecessarily in attacker block. If repeated after warning, Referee will show a BLUE CARD (1-minute suspension).
- Pushing, catching, pulling by uniform or hitting the defender will be treated as MISBEHAVIOUR.