HC orders refund of ticket money for abandoned ODI

Chennai, Jun 30 (UNI) Madras High Court today ordered refund of one third of the ticket amount collected from fans for the day International (ODI) cricket match between India and South Africa on November 22, 2005 at MAC Stadium, Chepauk, here which was abondoned due to heavy rain.

A Division Bench comprising Mr Justice P K Misra and Mr Justice R Sudhakar while allowing petitions filed by Advocate K Muthuramalingam and two others, said the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) should refund one third of the amount to the holders of tickets on production of such tickets.

The Bench said this direction should not apply in respect of specified stands for which tickets were subsidised by TNCA. The direction on refund of one third amount was restricted to the extent of one third of the amount actually received by TNCA in respect of tickets sold of specified stands.

It would be open to any organisation or persons to donate any amount to TNCA or to donate to any other welfare fund such as Tsunami Relief Fund, the Bench added.

The Bench said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should consider the question of refund of whole or part of the guarantee money to TNCA. While organising matches in future, the BCCI and TNCA should seriously consider the date of the match with a view to avoiding such situations in future.

The BCCI should take a policy decision on refund of whole or part of money to ticket holders in future on a uniform basis, it added.

UNI XR AA DH ND1934