BCCI refuses to yield on TNPL stance

The BCCI had earlier conveyed to TNCA that it can’t field outstation players in the TNPL league. The board has now reiterated its stance after obtaining legal consent.

TNCA has argued that once a player registers with the association, he “cannot be deemed to be outstation player”.

The BCCI has reaffirmed its position to the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) that players of other States cannot take part in the second TNPL Twenty20 league. On June 22, the BCCI asked the TNCA to confirm that no player from other States and/or outstation players (players who represent any team other than Tamil Nadu in BCCI Domestic Tournaments) have been included in the player draft (for 2017 TNPLT20).

Replying to this letter, the TNCA asserted that (1) since all the players in the draft had registered with the TNCA, they cannot be deemed to be outstation players within the general definition of the term (2) the term `outstation player’ in connection with the tournaments conducted by various members of the BCCI is not defined and therefore unregulated (3) although the same is defined in the BCCI Tournament Rules, the same cannot be applied to tournaments and has, in fact, not been applied in the past to such tournaments; and (d) in any event, the past practice followed by the BCCI in respect of the (Karnataka Premier League) KPLT20 and Goa Premier League (GPL) is ultra vires and contrary to regulation 28 of the BCCI Constitution and therefore not binding.

The BCCI consulted Justice (Retd.) B. N. Srikrishna and the former Judge of the Supreme Court of India studied the BCCI regulations 28 (permission to conduct tournaments) and 29 (ban on participation in unapproved tournament), and rules related to guest players, inter-association transfers and the practice followed by the BCCI in regard to Twenty20 leagues and concluded that, "The consistent practice followed by BCCI for T20 tournaments has been that no players from region outside the jurisdiction of the said member will be allowed to participate."

According to Justice Srikrishna, the working committee decisions of August 13, 2009  - while dealing with a request from the KPL T20 - and of June 24, 2016 - responding to a request from TNCA (for TNPL 2016) and also the way the BCCI dealt the case of GPL - "are all consistent.’’

After rejecting every point raised by the TNCA, Justice Srikrishna has said: "There is also no substance in the contention that the decisions of the Working Committee are contrary to Rule 28 of the BCCI Constitution and therefore, not binding. Far from being contrary to Rule 28, the Working Committee decisions are, in my opinion, perfectly consistent with Rule 28 (B) in the exercise of its discretion not to grant permission pursuant to a consistent policy and practice adopted by in its Working Committee decisions.’’