SC slams BCCI on funds, says board has created mutually beneficial society

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday questioned the irrational method adopted by the BCCI for distribution of funds to state cricket associations and in doing so the BCCI had created a “mutually beneficial society”.

A bench of Chief Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifulla hearing the recommendations of Justice Lodha committee report said, “The impression one gets is that once the BCCI gives money to state associations without any rational basis, they in a way corrupt them.”

“The BCCI must have distributive justice, why are 11 states penniless: why should these states go begging. You function like ‘show me the face; I will make the payment...’ Impression that one gets is that you are practically corrupting the persons by not demanding how the money is spent. It is like the moment you want a vote and their hands will go up,” Chief Justice Thakur remarked.

The bench told senior counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for the BCCI, the records of payments made to certain member-states like Gujarat, Goa and Tripura are several fold higher to some 11 other states likes Bihar and Chhattisgarh which go around with a “begging bowl”.

“Huge amounts like '572 crore is distributed every year. Next year, it may be over '1,000 crore. Should your system of disbursement not be perfect? Eleven of the 29 states have been allocated practically zero funds,” the apex court noted adding, “which doesn’t help the development of the game in the country.”

The CJI said, “Out of 29 states 11 are begging for money, this is not good. You allot money without demanding explanation which is basically corrupting them. 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 while Gujarat got '60 crore. You have done nothing to promote the game.”