NEW DELHI, Mar 28:
In a revamp of the cricket establishment, the Supreme Court today took the BCCI out of N Srinivasan’s control and handed it over to legendary player Sunil Gavaskar during the upcoming IPL 7 but allowed Chennai and Rajasthan teams to play in the tournament.
Besides appointing Gavaskar as an Interim President during IPL, the Court also directed that the senior most Vice President of the Board, Shivlal Yadav, will discharge the functions of BCCI president “with regard to all other matters”.
A Bench of justices A K Patnaik and F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, which had yesterday proposed barring Chennai Super Kings(CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR), did not bar them from playing in the matches along with six other teams in the Indian Premier League tournament beginning April 16 in Dubai.
“Considering the fact that Mr Sunil Gavaskar was a cricket player of great repute and eminence, a captain of the Indian Cricket team for a long period and has a wide experience in cricket related activities and of men and matters, we appoint him, as an interim measure, to function as and exercise the powers of the President of the BCCI in relation to the IPL, 2014 till we hear and deliver the judgement in these matters.
“We make it clear that with regard to all other matters of BCCI, the senior most Vice-President of the BCCI, Mr Shiv Lal Yadav, will discharge the functions of the President of the BCCI,” the Bench said.
Resolving the conflict of interest issue, the court said Gavaskar will not work as a commentator during this period of interim president on IPL matters and will be adequately compensated for his loss of income.
The compensation amount will be determined after the court resumes hearing on April 16.
“We make it clear that we have not passed any order preventing any player or any team from participating in the IPL Tournament 2014,” the court said.
It will take some more days after April 16 for hearing to be completed and for the judgement to be delivered, the court said.
On the demand of Cricket Association of Bihar for removal of Srinivasan, the Bench said as it was yet to hear all the parties, “we cannot at this stage form any opinion and pass orders on the basis of such opinion for removal of Mr Srinivasan from the post of BCCI president”.
Srinivasan’s term comes to an end in September when the Annual General Meeting of the BCCI is scheduled to take place when a new chief could be elected.
The apex order today came during a hearing on the Justice Mudgal Committee report that went into betting and spot-fixing charges against those in CSK and RR during IPL 6.
In a packed-courtroom, the bench made it clear that none of the employees of India Cements or its associate companies except cricketers and commentators will perform any of the duties assigned to them by the BCCI.
Gavaskar, will have power to engage the services of such persons on whom he has confidence for work in connection with the IPL 2014. He will also decide whether Sundar Raman, IPL Chief Operating Officer would continue in IPL 7 or any other arrangement has to be made in his place.
“In case of any difficulty Mr Gavaskar may apply to this court for appropriate orders,” it said.
The court recorded that Srinivasan had made a written offer that till investigation into allegations against him is completed he will not discharge any of the functions of the President of the BCCI.
Senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Bihar Association, submitted that no further investigation into the allegation against Srinivasan was necessary.
He said that the findings of the court appointed IPL probe committee and material relied on by it was sufficient to remove Srinivasan from the post of BCCI president.
The Bench said since IPL 2014 was scheduled for April 16 it has to pass interim orders to ensure that all those who love cricket continue to watch cricket in the tournament and that the matches are played in accordance with IPL rules.
In the meantime, BCCI pleaded with the court to allow Srinivasan to hold the post of International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman from July. But the bench refused to pass any order regarding this.
The BCCI also vehemently rejected the allegations levelled against Indian cricket team captain M S Dhoni by counsel Harish Salve, who accused him of “covering up” Gurunath Meiyappan.
“He has been wrongly vilified by media after false allegations were levelled against him in the court yesterday. He never made a statement that Meiyappan was just a cricket enthusiast as submitted by senior counsel Harish Salve,” senior advocate C A Sundaram, appearing for BCCI, told the Bench. (PTI)
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