| Friends, In the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by me and my wife Nutan, Allahabad High Court, Lucknow Bench today issued notice to Sports Department , Government of India and BCCI as to explain why BCCI is being given all the privileges without being a National Sports Federation. The bench consisting of Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice V K Dixit has also asked about the public money being spent by the Government of India on Cricket, Hockey and other games. Next date of hearing is on 17 May. Nutan argued the case for us while Ashok Nigam, Additional Solicitor General argued on behalf of the Central Government. We had said that the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has given recognition to various National Sports Federations (NSFs), which have been assigned the primary responsibility of development of specific sports. The Department gives recognition to one NSF in every sport. For the year 2011, it granted recognition to 43 NSFs. Cricket is not in this list and BCCI is not among one of these recognized NSFs. BCCI itself strongly insists that it is a private autonomous body having no control and affiliation with the Government. It also insists that it has never applied for being recognized as a NSF. Even then BCCI is using all the privileges and benefits of being the de-facto NSF for cricket. It sends nominations for the various Government sports awards like the Dronacharya Award, Arjun Award, etc. Government Rule is that only NSFs can make and later scrutinize such nominations. BCCI is using the word "India" at the end of its name which shows the patronage being enjoyed by the Government of India while there being no such official patronage on record. This is prima facie against section 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. Similarly Rule 9 of the Rules and Regulations of BCCI says that it has the power to frame cricketing rules for the entire nation despite having no such legal authority. Despite being a private body having no government affiliation, BCCI calls its selected team as Team India. BCCI also refuses to come under the purview of the RTI Act while most other NSFs are in its purview. Thus,we claimed that BCCI is enjoying privileges and breaking laws while strongly resisting any accountability and responsibility towards the Government or the People. This makes it look like being above law of the land. We had prayed to the High Court to direct that the Department of Sports asks BCCI to become a recognized NSF and if BCCI does not agree to this, then the Department strips BCCI of any de facto recognition and appoints some other Cricket Association as NSF as per the prevailing Rules so as to end this anomaly.
Amitabh Thakur # 94155-34526 Nutan Thakur # 94155-34525 |
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