Tribunal reveals state powers over passports

passport should be issued. Lakdawa outside t/ Tribunal. AN INTERESTING side light on Wednesday's Immigrant Appeals Tribunal decision to refuse a 20-year-old Kenya Asian girl a passport is that it appears that there is no case, law or statute which defines to whom and under what condition a UK BY A REPORTER On Wednesday, Mr Gordon Slynn QC, for the Home Office, led a successful appeal against an immigrant appeals officer's decision to allow Miss Shaheen Lakdawalla to hold an exempted UK passport.

Shaheen was issued with a gained an an 1 5986 UK passport in When she applied for the passport she was a citizen of the UK registered under the 1948 British Nationality Act.

Nothing

But despite this, Mr Slynn told the tribunal, she was subjected to the controls imposed Kenyan Asians Act.

There was, he said, nothing in the Nationalities Act which laid the legal qualifications for holding a British passport free from controls.

Their issue was entirely a matter within the Royal Prerogative and was entirely one of discretion.

Indian refused Tory club membership AN INDIAN who was refused membership of the East Ham South Conservative Club was discriminated against, the Race Relations Board announced on Wednesday.

Mr Amarjit Shar had been a party worker for about three He appealed to the Prime Minister and the division's prospective Conservative parliamentary candidate resigned his candidature because of the club's decision.

After hearing from Prime Minister Heath, Shar was still dissatisfied and complained to the board which said it sought a settlement and an assurance against further unlawful discrimination. The club did not give this.

The matter is now being considered by the board which will decide whether proceedings should be brought.

The question of who was eligible to hold a passport came current practices adopted by the authorities issuing them.

In reaching its decision the Tribunal has closed a loophole that more than 200 Asians may have used for entry into Britain.

Avoided

By using their status as registered British citizens these Asians have avoided the fate of thousands of others in East Africa who have been denied the right to stay permanently under the notorious 1968 Act, which imposed controls on UK and colonial citizens who did not have sufficient connections with Britain itself and had not -registered as citizens.

But Slynn's evidence also revealed the hitherto legally unstated power of the authorities over passports.

From his remarks this appears to be autocratic, non-accountable and applicable to any UK citizen whether born in or outside the British Isles.

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PAGE FOUR Friday, October 23, 1970