HC declines to stay BCCI AGM

The Madras high court on Thursday declined to stay the 77th Annual General Meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, slated to be held at Mumbai on September 27 and 28.

However, it directed the BCCI to consider an application from the Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) for associate membership at the meeting.

Disposing a petition filed by the CAP, Justice M E N Patrudu, in his order, said if CAP was granted associate membership it could participate in the meeting.

Earlier, during arguments on the petition, filed on behalf of CAP by its secretary P Damodaren, BCCI counsel P S Raman contended that according to rules governing the functioning of the Board there could be no direct affiliation to the Board as a full member.

"The CAP cannot seek to become a full member. It has to seek associate membership first under rule 6," he pointed out and said the petitioner could apply for associate membership.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate T R Rajagopalan said the CAP had applied for membership on December 7, 2004 itself but no action had been taken.

The Judge, however, dismissed the interim prayer to restrain the BCCI from conducting the AGM and said the court would not like to interfere with the meeting at this stage.

In its petition, CAP contended that if the AGM was held it would be greatly prejudiced as during the meeting BCCI wanted to ratify the Amended Constitution, which would allegedly be prejudicial to the interest of its members and public and in particular to those states and union territories of the country which are yet to be admitted as members of the Board.

The petitioner alleged that till date its application had received scant attention as a result of the Board bowing to the diktat of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and not granting due and legitimate recognition to the CAP.

On August 31, Justice K Raviraja Pandian of the high court had declined to restrain the BCCI from conducting election of office-bearers and disbursing grants and benefits to any of the member.

The judge, however, admitted the matter and ordered notice to the BCCI and Pondicherry State Sports Council.