Judgment

R.C. Lahoti, J.-W.P. (C) No.276/2001 filed on June 22, 2002, lays challenge to the constitutional validity of the Indian Council of World Affairs Ordinance, 2001 (No.3 of 2001), promulgated by the President of India on May 8, 2001, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (1) of Article 123 of the Constitution of India. During the pendency of this petition the Ordinance came to be replaced by an Act of Parliament, namely, the Indian Council of World Affairs Act, 2001 (Act No.29 of 2001), which came into force w.e.f. September 1, 2000. On 19.10.2001 W.P. (C) No.543/2001 was filed laying challenge to the constitutional validity of this Act. Both the petitions have been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution of India and respectively allege the Ordinance and the Act to be violative of Articles 14, 19(1)(a), 19(1)(c) and 300A of the Constitution.

Factual backdrop :

2. In the year 1943, the Indian Council of World Affairs was formed by about 50 distinguished eminent public personalities as a non-official non-political and non-profit organization. On March 31,1945, the Association was registered as a society under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The principal obje