The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) has sought directions from the apex court for ensuring smooth conduct of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League, with regard to financial demands raised by all the staging associations. The request was made in the second status report that was submitted by the CoA to the Supreme Court on March 17. The Court is set to hear the matter on Friday, the eve of the Test match, scheduled to be played in Dharamsala from Saturday.
In the status report, the CoA has requested the court to “issue appropriate directions to ensure the smooth conduct of the fourth Test between India and Australia by the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) as well as the smooth conduct of IPL matches by the State/ Member Associations specified”. The CoA has also taken due care to avert attempts of any possible sabotage of any of the forthcoming matches by requesting the court to make “the members of the Managing Committee/ Governing Body” of all the staging associations “personally responsible for the smooth conduct” of respective matches.
The HPCA, the home turf of axed BCCI president Anurag Thakur, has demanded money from the BCCI for hosting the Test match, as per the convention in the BCCI. However, the CoA has pointed out to the Supreme Court the amount that the HPCA has in its coffers. “It is relevant to note that the HPCA had an amount of Rs. 6,26,92,755/- in current/ savings accounts and deposits as on March 31, 2016 and a further amount of Rs. 59,44,30,724/- was remitted by BCCI to HPCA between April 2016 and October 2016.”
Cash cows
At least seven of the 10 staging associations for the IPL, starting April 5, are yet to sign the hosting agreement over lack of clarity about being paid the staging expenses by the BCCI. According to the hosting agreement, the home franchise and the BCCI each pays the respective host association Rs. 30 lakh per game. While the franchises pay before the start of the season, the BCCI pays State associations after the season. The State associations had demanded confirmation about receiving the amount from the BCCI.
“As per the audited accounts submitted by each State/ Member Asociations for financial year ending March 31, 2016, there were substantial funds available with them and further amounts have been disturbed by BCCI to them prior to October 2016 as well,” the report stated.
“One State/ Member Association that merits specific mention is the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA). As per the audited accounts submitted by the SCA for financial year ending March 31, 2016, the SCA had an amount of Rs. 213,59,47,064/- in current/ savings accounts and deposits as on March 31, 2016 and a further amount of Rs. 42,66,97,149/- was remitted by BCCI to SCA between April 2016 and October 2016.”
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