HC dismisses plea challenging BCCI's decision to restrain wards of railway employees from playing

The Delhi High Court Thursday dismissed a plea by several wards of railway employees challenging the BCCI's decision restraining them from playing for the railways in the 'under-19' and 'under-23' categories.

The petition said that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had decided that only the permanent employees of the railways would be allowed to play for the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) teams.

Justice Vibhu Bakhru said no interference with the decision of the BCCI and the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) was warranted.

The court passed the order on a plea by 10 wards of railway employees who had said the junior teams were allowed to participate in the tournaments organised by the BCCI from 1980 and since then, the railway employees' children had been representing the department and winning accolades.

The court, while dismissing the plea, said "Undoubtedly, the petitioners (players) have presented a compelling case for being permitted to play for RSPB teams. However, ... this court cannot supplant its opinion over that of the concerned authority and a judicial review of merits is not permissible, unless the limited grounds as indicated, are established."