SC clears doubts over India-England cricket series

The Supreme Court on Tuesday facilitated the conduct of India-England cricket series unaffected by the ban on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for release of funds for its state units. A three-member Bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur permitted BCCI to meet all the expenses for holding the matches by making direct payments to all the contractors involved in the series.The Bench, which included Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, let BCCI make a payment of Rs 58.66 lakh for the first Test match starting in Rajkot on Wednesday without involving the host, Saurashtra Cricket Association. Earlier, the Bench had directed BCCI not to release funds to the state units until they gave an undertaking for timely implementation of the reform measures ordered by the apex court on the recommendations of the Justice RM Lodha panel appointed by it. The payment mechanism, approved on Tuesday, would be in force till December 3, the next date of hearing. BCCI had approached the apex court, pleading for release of funds to prevent disruption to the India-England series.The Bench accepted the Lodha panel’s plea for engaging experts to finalise contracts on behalf of BCCI for holding domestic, international and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in 2017 and monitoring the Board’s functioning. BCCI would foot the bill for payment to the experts hired by the panel. Citing the insulting language being used by BCCI officials in their communication to the panel, particularly by Board Secretary Ajay Shirke, the Bench warned the BCCI against such expressions. The court would come down heavily on Board officials showing disrespect to the panel members who were retired Supreme Court judges, the Bench clarified.