JOIN USThe Supreme Court on Tuesday indicated it would appoint an interim panel of administrators to carry out the functions of the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI).
A three-member bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for some state cricket associations, to recommend names by January 27.
Amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium and Anil Divan have already submitted some names in a sealed cover. The BCCI, represented by Sibal, had refused to suggest any names even when the court gave it an opportunity, the bench noted.
“Having heard Rohatgi and Sibal, we permit them to suggest names for committee of administrators for the BCCI in a sealed cover. However, it is hereby made absolutely clear that the names... should be in consonance with the principal judgment and ... subsequent orders,” the bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, had said. The bench had laid down that those older than 70 would not be considered.
Rohatgi, appearing for Railways, Services and Association of Indian Universities, urged the court to look at the “bigger picture” and the implications of its directive on the autonomy of the BCCI and state associations.
He said the goverment was mulling a legislation and if the court were to take over the BCCI, it would have international ramifications. “Who is taking over the BCCI? Is there any order of that nature passed by us? No. By virtue of our orders, certain people stand disqualified and we have now said that we will select a panel of administrators to manage the day-to-day affairs of the BCCI till a new body is constituted after elections,” the bench said.
To Rohatgi’s suggestion that the appointment of administrators be put off, the court said, “We are not inclined to keep it in abeyance.”
The court accepted a request from BCCI counsel Arvind Datar to nominate someone to represent the board at a meeting of the ICC executive committee. To be held in the first week of February, the meeting will take decisions affecting the revenue of the BCCI.
The court asked Datar to suggest three names, one of which would be nominated by the bench. The next hearing is on January 30.