Why Should BCCI Be Exempted from the New Sports Governance Act 2025? Supreme Court questions Cricket Body
The Supreme Court is seeking responses from the BCCI and state cricket associations. Their replies will help determine whether cricket’s governing bodies should be brought under the new national sports governance framework.
Xtratime Webdesk: Recent news is that the Supreme Court of India has entered the sports arena, mainly in cricket, by questioning whether the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its state affiliates fall under the rules and regulations of the new National Sports Governance Act 2025. The cricketing bodies were directed to clarify their stances on the new national law by a three-judge bench, which was led by Chief Justice Surya Kant along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana.
This new act has introduced several strict regulations for sports authorities across India, and the act enforces strict regulations on age limits, ethical standards, and service terms for office bearers. In contrast, the BCCI operates under the court-approved 2022 constitution, which allows for consecutive tenures of 12 years at the state and national levels, followed by a mandatory three-year break.
BCCI actively values its financial autonomy, being the richest cricket board in the world. To oversee overall compliance, this new framework has introduced a centralised National Sports Board. This challenges the BCCI’s long-held position, which its self-funded status keeps it distinct from the other federally funded sports bodies.
Another core issue is the handling of disputes, and if cricket bodies come under the new law, some disputes involving their administration could potentially be taken up by a sports tribunal instead of continuing before the Supreme Court. The court’s involvement regarding BCCI affairs goes back to the reforms which is recommended by the Justice R.M Lodha Committee.
Also, a revised BCCI constitution was adopted in 2018 following the court’s directions, while further changes to rules on office-bearer tenure were allowed in 2022. Now, the Supreme Court is seeking responses from the BCCI and state cricket associations. Their replies will help determine whether cricket’s governing bodies should be brought under the new national sports governance framework.