Vadodara court issues show cause notices to BCCI

Vadodara, Mar 5 (UNI) As the countdown BEGAN for the maiden Twenty20 Indian Premier League (IPL), a city court has issued show cause notices to BCCI, IPL, Union Government and all the eight IPL franchise team owners on a petition, challeging cricketers' auction.

The petition was recently filed by Baroda Bar Association (BBA) president Narendra Tiwari seeking an-interim injuction on all IPL proceedings for auction of cricketers, which he termed ''unfair, illegal and bad-in-law.'' After a preliminary hearing on February 29, Vadodara Civil Judge (senior division) P P Shah directed all the eleven respondents to showcause as to why an interim injuction should not be granted to stop the auction process and its execution.

The court has fixed March 12 as the next date of hearing in the matter. The lucrative 44-day tournament is scheduled to start at different venues in India from April 18.

Apart from the BCCI, IPL and union government secretary of sports, the notices were issued on eight IPL franchise team owners, including corporate tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya, and Bollywood actors Preity Zinta and Shah Rukh Khan.

In his petition, the BBA president contended that the proceedings of players' auction held on February 20 in Mumbai by the BCCI, was against the spirit of the game of cricket and all moral values. He prayed to the court to grant a permanent injunction on the IPL and declare the auctioning process as null and void.

Taking strong exception to the selling off of top ranking Indian and foreign cricketers to business tycoons and film stars for crores of rupees, the petitioner further contended that because of the autioning of the players, the cricketers had become the personal property of some individuals, which could not be legally allowed. It also charged the union government with doing nothing to stop such ''unfair'' procedure in the interest of the game.

UNI SS OBB SB ND1730