Supreme Court removed the hurdles created by state cricket associations on the holding of the India-England Test series by allowing BCCI to incur the expense of Rs 58.66 lakh for the first match starting on Wednesday, warning that no part of fund will go to the host Saurashtra Cricket Association.
The day's hearing was on the application moved by BCCI which had rushed to the apex court seeking disbursal of funds to the state cricket associations, saying non-disbursal would lead to cancellation of the first cricket test match to be played between India and England at Rajkot on Wednesday.
The apex court also gave more teeth to the committee headed by former Chief Justice of India Justice RM Lodha for monitoring the working of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by allowing it to vet hundreds of contracts with vendors for holding of domestic, international and IPL matches in 2017.
It said the arrangement for the first match would continue for the subsequent Test matches till 3 December, when it will hear the matter already scheduled.
A bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur also took strong exception to the language used against the Lodha panel by BCCI top brass, including its Secretary Ajay Shirke in his communication with the panel.
The bench also agreed with the Lodha panel’s demand that experts in different fields could be hired to help “determine the amount to be paid by BCCI for contracts for holding various domestic, international and IPL matches for the 2017 season.”
The apex court took note of the submissions made by senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, that BCCI has failed to comply with the directions of the top court, which was clear from the second report of the Lodha Committee placed before the bench on Tuesday.
In the earlier hearing, the apex court had made it clear that there will be no disposal of funds to the state cricket bodies till they file an undertaking that they would comply with the recommendations of the Lodha panel on reforms in cricket in the country.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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