JOACHIM CARVALHO Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is filed in public interest by the petitioner who is a former member of the Indian Hockey Team and an Olympian. The petitioner claims himself to be a public spirited person. He states that he was awarded the Arjuna Award for his outstanding achievements as one of India's best captains and has a genuine interest in the future of the sport of Hockey in India.

(2.) This petition has been filed on the ground that hockey players of eminence are being subjected to threats and are being prevented from participating in a world class hockey tournament being organised in the country.

(3.) The respondents impleaded in the present writ petition include the Union of India through the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (respondent no.1), Hockey India (respondent no.2), Indian Olympic Association (respondent no.3) and Nimbus Communication Ltd. (respondent no.4). Respondent no. 1 is, amongst other, assigned the role of creating infrastructure and promoting capacity building for broad basing sports as well as for achieving excellence in various competitive events at the national and international levels. In this regard, it has introduced the National Sports Development Code of India through a statutory notification with effect from 31.01.2011 with the objective of sports development, inter alia, through adoption of good governance practices by the National Sports Federation. Respondent no.2 is a Society registered under the Indian laws and established, inter alia, for promotion of the game of hockey. Respondent no. 3 is a Society registered under the Indian laws and is the apex body in the field of Olympic Sports in India. Respondent no. 4 is another National Sports Federation which is recognized by the Central Government for management and regulation of hockey in India. Respondent no. 5 is a company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 which is, inter alia, engaged in the business of sports promotion and event management in India.