SC to hear BCCI plea seeking funds for England Tests today

New Delhi, December 7

The Supreme Court (SC) agreed to hear on Wednesday the plea of BCCI seeking disbursal of Rs 1.33 crore for holding two test matches between India and England.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur considered the submission of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the cricket body that funds be released for holding the test matches to be played in Mumbai and Chennai respectively.

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Sibal said that earlier also the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was allowed to disburse funds for holding the matches of the ongoing India-England series.

"The quorum of the Bench, which has been hearing the BCCI matter, is not available at present and same would be made available at 3 pm today," the Bench said.

The apex court had on November 8 removed the hurdles created by state cricket associations on the holding of the India-England test series by allowing BCCI to incur the expense of Rs 58.66 lakh for the first match which started on November 9, warning that no part of fund will go to the host Saurashtra Cricket Association.

While permitting the BCCI to incur the expenditure for the first test match at Rajkot, the bench had made it clear that payments be made directly to the parties concerned with various contracts.

It had also directed that BCCI will maintain a book of actual expenditure which has to be furnished to Justice R M Lodha committee for verification by its auditor who has to be appointed expeditiously by the panel.

The court has already fixed for hearing on December 9, the plea of the Lodha committee that former Home Secretary G K Pillai be appointed as an observer of the BCCI.

The committee has also sought removal of BCCI office bearers who are holding posts in contravention of norms such as age bar and one person-one post suggested by it.    —PTI