The Supreme Court of India has initiated a significant legal inquiry into the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), questioning why the national cricket body and its affiliated state associations should not be brought under the purview of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. This directive was issued on Tuesday, September 8, by a bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, alongside Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, during a hearing involving petitions from various state cricket associations.
The court has instructed legal representatives for the BCCI and state units to seek formal instructions regarding why the service terms and conditions for their office-bearers should not be regulated by this newly enacted legislation. While the BCCI has not provided an immediate official response, its position remains consistent with previous legal submissions. In a separate case before the Odisha High Court concerning the Odisha Cricket Association elections, the board argued that cricket has not been officially designated as a sport under the 2025 Act, thereby exempting it from the law’s requirements.
The board’s long-standing argument centers on its financial independence, maintaining that because it does not accept government grants, it should remain outside the scope of such legislation. Furthermore, the BCCI has historically resisted provisions within the Sports Act that would establish a statutory regulator and potentially subject the board to the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Currently, the board operates under the Supreme Court-approved, amended Lodha Committee recommendations, which mandate a three-year cooling-off period after two consecutive terms for any office-bearer.
These legal developments arrive just ahead of the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), scheduled for September 18 in Mumbai, where the matter is expected to be a key point of discussion. Regarding the upcoming AGM, IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal and Mizoram’s Khairul Jamal Majumdar have filed nominations for the IPL Governing Council, with both expected to secure re-election.
In a separate administrative move, BCCI electoral officer AK Joti has disqualified representatives from the Baroda Cricket Association and the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association from participating in the AGM. Consequently, Pranav Amin and Desh Rattan Dubey, who were nominated by their respective associations, will be barred from taking part in the proceedings. The report also notes that but the board’s stance is clear from its submissions in another case, bCCI officials were not immediately available for comment. The report also notes that exactly what the BCCI’s opposition to the Sports Act is has not been explained in that affidavit.
