Hyderabad Cricket Association's plea to be considered along with BCCI matter: Supreme Court

The court directed the registry to place the papers before the Chief Justice of India for passing appropriate orders. The Hyderabad Cricket Association led by senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and Gaurav Agrawal challenged the Telangana High Court's 2021 judgment.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday felt that a plea concerning affairs about the Hyderabad Cricket Association should be considered with a pending matter related to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Satish Chandra Sharma passed an order for placing the matter before the Chief Justice of India for passing appropriate order.

The bench noted once the issue has been raised that the recommendations made by the single member committee which are to be approved or disapproved in the present case, may be in conflict or not in consonance with the Constitution, Regulations and Guidelines of the BCCI, it would only be appropriate that these matters may be tagged with 2014 civil appeal titled as BCCI Vs Cricket Association of Bihar and heard by the same bench.

The court directed the registry to place the papers before the Chief Justice of India for passing appropriate orders.

Hyderabad Cricket Association led by senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and Gaurav Agrawal challenged the Telangana High Court's 2021 judgment.

The HC had set aside an order by a civil court for suspension of the appointment of Ombudsman cum Ethics Officer. It had also dismissed the suit for a declaration that the appointment of the Ombudsman and the Ethics Officer by the Apex Council was not in accordance with the Constitution of the Hyderabad Cricket Association.

In its order, the court noted during the pendency of these petitions, various orders were passed and with passage of time, the scope of these petitions has been widely enlarged.

On August 22, 2022, the bench appointed a supervisory committee under the Chairmanship of retired Chief Justice of High Court of Andhra Pradesh along with three members which included an IPS Officer being Director General, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Telangana state and ex-Indian cricketer and Director of Hyderabad Cricket Academy of Excellence.

On February 14, 2023, the court directed that the Supervisory Committee will not survive considering the fact that fair and proper elections of the executive body of the Hyderabad Cricket Association were essential.

A retired judge of the court was appointed as a single member committee to conduct the elections. The elections were held under the supervision of the single member committee.

Further the committee made certain recommendations to be incorporated in the Constitution of the Hyderabad Cricket Association.

On December 5, 2023, the bench prima facie found that the recommendations made by the single member committee were salutary recommendations.

Without shutting out the parties from having their say, the court as an interim measure, directed that the recommendations in the meantime will come into force and be implemented.

However, on December 5, 2024, the court was informed another bench was considering BCCI matter, where some of the issues involved in the present cases are also being considered.

It was directed that all States Cricket Associations would have their Constitution in line with the Constitution of the BCCI.

The appellant's counsel also said some of the recommendations made by the single member committee would be in conflict with the Constitution of BCCI and therefore, if the Hyderabad Cricket Association adopts the same, there would be a direct conflict with the directions issued in the said appeal.

The counsel said the present matters may also be heard with the BCCI case, so that there are no conflicting views and orders. Further the Regulations, Constitutions, Guidelines of BCCI and that of the State Cricket Associations are in conformity with each other and as per the judgment and directions of this court passed in BCCI matter.