CIVIL RIGHTS VIGILANCE COMMITTEE Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This appeal is from the order of Bopanna, J., dismissing the WP No. 25534 of 1981. The petitioner therein, namely, Civif Rights Vigilance Committee, has presented this appeal and for the sake of convenience, it will be referred to as 'the Civil Rights Committee'

(2.) The material facts leading up to this appeal, are briefly these : Geof Boycott and Geof Cook are two cricket players who are citizens of the United Kingdom. Marylbourne Cricket Club (MCC) included them in its team scheduled to visit India between November 1981 and February 1982 to play six test matches and other matches a' different places in India. As to whether the Government of India should allow that English Cricket Team which included Boycott and Cook to visit India and to play cricket matches, despite their links with South Africa which is practising a policy of apartheid, became thf subject matter of controversy both in India and outside. However, the Government of India allowed that English Cricket Team including those two players to come to this country and to play matches as scheduled.

(3.) The Civil Rights Committee presented the writ petition (out of which this appeal has arisen) impugning the action of the Government of India in allowing the English Cricket Team including those two players to visit India and to play matches. The learned single Judge, who heard that writ petition, dismissed it holding inter alia, that such impugned action of the Government of India being an act of State, this court had no jurisdiction to examine its validity and to grant the relief sought in the writ peiilion.