BCCI seeks clarity from Supreme Court over Srinivasan's presence

The BCCI has, on Thursday, sought the opinion of the Supreme Court over whether N Srinivasan could attend the meetings of the board as the authorised representative of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). The matter is likely to be listed next week.

Srinivasan has been told to stay away from BCCI meetings before, owing to conflict of interest issues, and had even been made to apologise to the Supreme Court for doing otherwise.

Yet Srinivasan came to the working committee meeting in Kolkata last week, at his own risk, and BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya called it to an end mere minutes after it had begun. Dalmiya said he would seek a court directive with regards to Srinivasan's eligibility to participate in board matters. It would be interesting to see if the court decides to intervene in the BCCI's internal affairs.

Since Srinivasan has technically attended the meeting before it was adjourned "sine die", the Cricket Association of Bihar, the petitioner in the IPL corruption scandal, is likely to move a contempt plea to the court. The legal muddle is likely to result in the postponement of the BCCI's AGM, which needs to be held before September 30, for the second year in succession.

During an informal discussion after the working committee meeting was called off, secretary Anurag Thakur was understood to have told BCCI members that the AGM will be convened on September 27. However, that will be virtually impossible. The BCCI cannot proceed further until it receives the court directive. After that, the BCCI will require at least 24 days - three days' notice to convene an emergent working committee meeting and then 21 days' notice for the AGM - before calling the AGM.

If they are to postpone the AGM again, the BCCI will have to seek permission from the registrar of societies since the board is registered as a society under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act.

Last year, the BCCI had kept postponing its AGM, hoping for then president Srinivasan to be cleared by the court to contest the election. After a prolonged delay of five months, the AGM was finally held on March 2, with Srinivasan having been kept away from the election.