The impression one gets is that once BCCI gives money to state associations without any rationale, they corrupt them, the SC special bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice FMI Kalifulla said.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday slammed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for distributing "huge money" to member state associations as a tool to "buy their votes". Hearing BCCI's senior advocate KK Venugopal's arguments over the difficulties in implementing the Justice RM Lodha panel recommendation that why 'one state, one vote' would be difficult to implement, the SC further mentioned "using money as a means to make them (members) raise their hands during the meetings".
"The impression one gets is that once BCCI gives money to state associations without any rationale, they corrupt them," the SC special bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justice FMI Kalifulla said. The Bench made these scathing remarks after going through the financial chart being submitted by the BCCI to explain money distribution to all member-states.
"You (BCCI) have distributed more than Rs 550 crore last year to all members. Next year, you may give them around Rs 1,000 crore. But you have no foolproof system to check any kind of wrongdoing? How can you allow states to siphon off money like this as you have no foolproof system in place?" the apex court slammed the Board after it was brought to its notice that money is being paid without getting any detailed balance sheets from certain states.
"Has any FIR been lodged against states which have not submitted audited accounts or has siphoned off money," the SC asked BCCI. In reply, the BCCI mentioned Jammu & Kashmir, whose grants have now been stopped in the wake of corruption charges.
The SC accused that the BCCI has done nothing to develop cricket in the country. "Out of the 29 states, 11 are begging for money. This is not good. How do you expect neglected states to develop if you don't give them money? For six years, not a penny was given to Bihar. You have done nothing to promote the game. A state like Goa with a population of just 12 lakh or Tripura with 25 lakh were paid over Rs 50 crore in the last three years whereas Bihar got nothing," the special bench said.
At this point, BCCI chief administrative officer Ratnakar Shetty tried to explain that money is being distributed to all full-member states, having an international stadium of their own. The SC then asked whether Tripura has one.
Knowing well that how the BCCI has tried taking the SC for a ride in the past too, Justice Thakur said: "Isn't it? You show me the face, I will show you the rule. You don't pay money to 11 states and then you expect them to develop cricket in their states?" the SC said.
Lodha panel recommendations reasonable
It was when the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) counsel intervened and requested the SC to hear its objections on "age and tenure" that the top court reminded the BCCI and member-states which were present that "all recommendations made by the Justice Lodha panel have been made only after a detailed discussion with every stakeholder".
"Please don't say Lodha Committee recommendations cannot be implemented. It has not asked you to bowl seven deliveries in an over or put four wickets instead of three on the ground," the entire court room burst into laughter when Justice Thakur reminder PCA counsel.
The panel recommends a cooling-off period between successive terms for top officials, suggests ministers and government servants cannot occupy BCCI posts and wants professionals under a chief executive officer to run the day-to-day activity.
The panel wants the BCCI to be brought under the Right to Information Act. The BCCI also contested the one-state-one-unit policy suggested by the Lodha panel. States like Gujarat and Maharashtra have multiple full members. "Some members are old and they are founding- members like Saurashtra, Baroda, Mumbai. So these cannot be removed."
The next hearing has been scheduled at 2 pm on Friday.
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