THE Supreme Court has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and all the State Cricket Associations why they should not be governed by the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana observed this on Tuesday while hearing the applications filed by some cricket bodies in the BCCI matter. The bench also asked the advocates appearing for the BCCI and State Cricket Associations to take instructions on why the terms and conditions of service of their office bearers be not governed by the 2025 Act which is now in force. The apex court is dealing with a plea concerning the BCCI since 2014 and several applications are filed in the matter from time to time. The top court had earlier constituted a committee headed by former CJI Justice R M Lodha to suggest reform measures, including framing of a constitution for the cash-rich cricket body.

 

The apex court had accepted the recommendations made by the committee providing for reforms in the structure, organisation and working of the BCCI. In September 2022, the top court had allowed modification of the BCCI’s constitution and said that an office bearer can have continuous tenure of 12 years which includes six years in state association and six years in BCCI before the cooling-off period of three years triggers. It had said that an office bearer can serve on a particular post for two consecutive terms, both at the BCCI and the state association level, after which he would have to serve three years cooling-off period. The constitution of the BCCI, which was earlier approved by the top court, stipulated a mandatory three-year coolingoff period for anyone who had served two consecutive terms of three years each in the State Cricket Association or the BCCI.