SC turns focus on unaffiliated states
MUMBAI: The Supreme Court’s reprimand of the BCCI over allocation of funds has once again turned the spotlight on states yet to get recognition from the cricket Board.
In its observation, the Apex court came down hard on the Board’s inability to promote the sport across the country, observing that states like Bihar and Chhattisgarh had to “beg” for money. “Out of 29 states, 11 are begging for money, this is not good. You allot money without demanding explanation which is basically corrupting them,” the court observed. “How do you expect neglected states to develop if you don’t give them money? For six years, not a penny given to Bihar,” it asked.
While Chhattisgarh only received full membership earlier this year, states like Bihar, Uttarakhand, newly-formed Telangana and North-eastern states like Mizoram do not have a body which is affiliated to the BCCI, and hence do not receive funds. The court on Tuesday pulled up the Board, questioning its lack of interest in promoting the game in these areas.
The BCCI, however, preferred to remain silent. “The court is yet to make a final judgement. It would be wrong to comment now,” senior BCCI official Rajiv Shukla said here on Tuesday.
The Board’s affiliation committee includes its secretary Anurag Thakur. The committee takes a call on whether a state body deserves
THE COMMITTEE TAKES A CALL ON WHETHER A STATE BODY DESERVES AFFILIATION OR AN UPGRADE TO FULL MEMBERSHIP
affiliation or an upgrade to full membership. The BCCI then distributes funds to each of its affiliate members annually. Bihar has not received funds since 2010.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a senior Board functionary said the BCCI follows a certain principle as far as Bihar is concerned as multiple associations are fighting for membership.
“The presentation of an audited annual statement is the criterion we had set a while back. Adherence to this applies to all members,” said the functionary.
“If we had still provided them the sum, we would have been questioned. It is a process that we have to follow. One cannot just allot funds equally to all states. The question is not about population, but cricketing activities there. If one state runs 10 programmes for development of cricket and the other runs none, you cannot expect us to give them (the) same (amount of) money.”
Cricket Association of Bihar secretary, Aditya Verma, who has been running a campaign for recognition, said: “If a state like Bihar, which is among the most populous does not warrant funds then its (BCCI’s) intentions need to be questioned.”