Justice Mukul Mudgal was “mighty pleased” with the Supreme Court taking steps to cleanse sports administration in the country by declaring that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has a public profile and not private.
“To me,” said Justice Mudgal, “the judgment will definitely have far-reaching effect. More importantly, it will change the public character profile of the BCCI. It is a landmark judgment that advances the public accountability in all the sports bodies of the country. The conflict of interest issue arises in all walks of life. With this judgment, it has expanded to BCCI too. In the process, all sports bodies will improve.”
> Read: SC's full judgment on the IPL scam
Justice Mudgal, who headed the panel that investigated into the spot-fixing scandals of the last edition of the IPL, had long campaigned for the BCCI to be brought under the ambit of Right To Information (RTI). He asked, “Do we participate in the World Cup as India or not? If BCCI calls itself a private body, then we should participate as BCCI XI and not India.”
As Justice Mudgal noted, the BCCI would have to be more accountable now. “It will become more transparent. The BCCI must realise that cricket belongs to the whole country. BCCI is there only to adminster the game, conduct it well. I must say that cricket is still the best administered game in the country and I hope the team does well at the forthcoming World Cup.”
> Read: IPL spot-fixing scandal timeline
> Download the Justice Mudgal Committee report here.
The BCCI shall hold within six weeks from the date of this order in accordance with the prevalent rules and regulations
The polls will be subject to the condition that no one who has any commercial interest in the BCCI events (including Mr. N. Srinivasan) shall be eligible for contesting the elections for any post whatsoever
We make it clear that the disqualification for contesting elections applicable to those holding any commercial interest in BCCI events shall hold good and continue till such time the person concerned holds such commercial interest or till the Committee awards suitable punishment to those liable for the same; whichever is later
