HC dismisses PIL against BCCI

Observing that there is no case putforth before it that the current BCCI President does not enjoythe General Council’s mandate, the Madras High Court todaydismissed a PIL seeking a direction to restrain BCCI andShashank Manohar from making any adverse change which willreduce the Board’s revenue share from International CricketCouncil. The PIL was filed by former CBI Director R K Raghavan andseven others.

After hearing elaborate arguments by Vijaynarayan, seniorcounsel for Raghavan, the First Bench, comprising ChiefJustice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh, dismissedthe PIL.

The court observed that it fails to understand how can itexpect BCCI to call a meeting of all cricket enthusiasts in alarge auditorium and hold discussions as to how BCCI shouldwork.

“The society works through its elected representatives.The members, in turn, elect those who have to represent thesociety and their power of the management cannot be curtailedby anyone and everyone wanting to interfere in the same. We dobelieve this is not a matter where this court should interfereand more so, in exercise of a public interest litigationjurisdiction,” the bench said and dismissed the PIL .

The petitioners had sought a direction to forbear BCCIchief Shashank Manohar and BCCI from agreeing to receive anyamount lower than the agreed contribution costs as per MemberParticipation Agreement for the broadcast Cycle for 2015-2023and 2024-2031 for the participation of the Indian Cricket Teamin matches and events conducted by International CricketCouncil.

According to the petitioners, a statement was issued bythe President of BCCI that changes in the revenue-sharingmodel were contemplated.

The petitioners submitted that BCCI, which is entitled to21 per cent of gross revenue of ICC for the cycle broadcast2015-23, will be receiving at least Rs 1,000 crore less due toManohars “unilateral offer” of a six per cent cut in therevenue-sharing.

They said they filed the petition based on newspaperreports and details furnished by Tamil Nadu CricketAssociation (TNCA), a member of BCCI.