Relief for Srini, as SC refuses to stay BCCI AGM

The apex court's decision came after hearing a petition filed by Cricket Association of Bihar Secretary Aditya Varma, saying the BCCI flouted its constitution by deferring the AGM by almost two months.

The Bihar association is fighting a legal battle with BCCI and its president N. Srinivasan over corruption in the Indian Premier League 2013.

After a working committee meeting in Chennai on September 26, the BCCI decided to hold the AGM on November 20.

According to the BCCI constitution Rule No. 16, "the Annual General Meeting of the Board shall be held every year, but not later than 30th September at such place and time the president may fix."

Citing this clause, Varma approached the top court. In his petition, Varma termed the BCCI's decision to postpone its annual general meeting (AGM) as illegal and filed an interim application seeking cancellation of board’s AGM.

"We filed an interim application in the Supreme Court stating that the BCCI had violated its own constitution by postponing its AGM. The BCCI constitution clearly states that the AGM of the body should take place by September 30 every year," Verma is quoted by media as saying ahead of the hearing on Monday.

"Thus we pleaded that all the officials of BCCI since that date were holding positions illegally," he added.

Senior advocate Nalini Chidamabaram, appearing for the CAB, also submitted that since the AGM was not held prior to September 30, no office bearers have locus standi to continue in the working committee of the BCCI.

The Supreme Court told the petitioner that it was concerned about the spot-fixing and betting scandal and not the AGM.

"Your real purpose is to prevent N. Srinivasan from contesting the polls if he is exonerated in the probe. Wait for the report," the judges said. 

The bench said, Supreme Court will take up this petition along with the main probe report on November 10, when the probe report on IPL scam will be tabled.

“Let us wait for the report of the probe committee. Let the decks be cleared for the elections. We had given the last order (on September 2013) allowing him (Srinivasan) to participate in the election but he will not hold the office (president) till further order. Till then you keep quite. We are not concerned at this stage with the AGM. Please wait till the report of the Justice Mudgal Committee is filed,” a bench comprising Justices T.S. Thakur and F.M.I. Kalifulla is reported to have told Varma.

Earlier, On March 25, the court had told Srinivasan to step down from his position as BCCI president in order to ensure a fair investigation into the betting and spot-fixing charges levied against his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan, the team principal of Chennai Super Kings.

Srinivasan, who is now ICC's first chairman, is eyeing another term as BCCI president.