SC refuses PIL regarding post of BCCI office bearers

New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) The Supreme Court today refused to entertain a PIL seeking directions not to permit those who have not played cricket to contest elections for the post of the BCCI office bearers.

Earlier, the petitioner Prince Lenin contended before the court that the BCCI was solely concerned with money-making and was not bothered about the honour and dignity of the country.

He also pleaded that instead of abondaning the ongoing tour of Australia by 'Team India' after the false allegations of racism were made against the Indian player, the BCCI decided to continue with the tour because it would have caused a loss of two million dollars to them.

He also cited the recent sale of IPL cities for Rs 7,000 crores by the BCCI to private individuals to show that the BCCI was only concerned with money and nothing else.

The petitioner also prayed to the court not to permit the BCCI to use the term 'Team India' as it was only a private organisation and not a State in reference to Article 12 of the Constitution, and hence cannot be permitted to represent India in national or international tournament.

The court wanted to know from the petitioner ''whether he was personally present when all this happened in Australia or he was simply filing this petition on the basis of Press reports, which are the opinions of individual correspondents that may or may not be right.'' The apex court dismissed the petition saying that it has no jurisdiction over the ICC as well as Australian territory.

UNI AKS/SC DS DS1301