Special Correspondent
The question, therefore, is not whether the BCCI has the power to interfere in every internal dispute. It is whether it has the will to exercise the regulatory authority and disciplinary mechanisms available to it when credible complaints emerge. The Board’s own financial support to state associations, its recognition of their membership and its control over access to national competitions give it considerable leverage. Why should it wait until a dispute reaches the High Court, a criminal investigation begins or a women’s commission intervenes before examining what its affiliated units are doing?
The financial dimension is equally important. The BCCI’s extraordinary commercial success, particularly after the advent of the Indian Premier League (IPL), has transformed Indian cricket. But its tax position also deserves greater public scrutiny. The Union Finance Ministry informed Parliament in August 2024 that the BCCI was claiming exemption under Section 11 of the Income Tax Act, while the Income Tax Department was disallowing the exemption during assessment proceedings. The matter was sub judice. The Government also disclosed GST collections of ₹2,038.55 crore from the BCCI during 2022-23 and 2023-24. These are substantial public revenues, but they also reinforce the need for transparency about the Board’s finances and its wider obligations to Indian sport.
There is another uncomfortable dimension to cricket administration. Why has the game increasingly become an attractive destination for politicians, influential businessmen and power brokers? The involvement of prominent political figures, including members of politically influential families, has only heightened public interest in how cricket’s enormous financial resources and administrative positions are managed. This is not an allegation against any individual, but a compelling reason why the BCCI must maintain standards that are beyond suspicion. Its stature should invite greater scrutiny, not provide insulation from it.
Also read: https://orangenews9.com/bcci-cannot-escape-accountability-part-i/
Certainly, the BCCI has contributed enormously to Indian cricket. From the historic 1983 World Cup triumph under Kapil Dev to the achievements of Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and successive generations of international stars, Indian cricket has travelled an extraordinary distance. The IPL has further strengthened India’s position in world cricket and created unprecedented opportunities for players, including women cricketers. But commercial success cannot become an excuse for administrative complacency.
The BCCI must establish a transparent, time-bound mechanism to investigate complaints against state associations, commission independent forensic audits wherever financial irregularities are suspected, enforce mandatory POSH compliance and ensure that individuals facing credible disciplinary findings are not entrusted with sensitive cricketing responsibilities without proper scrutiny. Where serious violations are established, suspension of recognition, withholding of discretionary grants and, in extreme cases, termination of affiliation should be considered in accordance with due process.
The BCCI cannot be merely a collection and distribution centre for cricket revenues. It must also be the custodian of integrity, fairness and accountability throughout the cricketing ecosystem. Its responsibility does not end with organising international matches, negotiating broadcasting contracts or distributing funds to state units. It must ensure that those entrusted with running the game do not turn cricket associations into personal fiefdoms.
Ultimately, the real stakeholders are the players, particularly those from smaller states and districts, who depend on these institutions for opportunities and a fair playing field. They deserve protection, transparency and merit-based administration, not the whims of powerful office-bearers.
The Board must decide whether it wants to be remembered merely as the world’s richest cricket body or as one that had the courage to clean up Indian cricket from within. Wealth commands influence; accountability earns respect. (Concluded)
