Defensive Stroke in Supreme Court: Can N. Srinivasan Justify Decision to Chair BCCI Meet?

India Cements Ltd Vice-Chairman and Managing Director N. Srinivasan -through his counsel Kapil Sibal - will seek to justify his decision to chair a Board of Control for Cricket in India meeting on February 8, in the Supreme Court on Friday. The top court had frowned upon his role and presence in the meeting as it was against its ruling which had found him liable for conflict of interest. (Update: Srinivasan says sorry)

The BCCI's working committee meeting had decided to hold the presidential elections on March 2 but Cricket Association of Bihar had filed a petition against Srinivasan's presence. "The Amendment to rule 6.2.4 was struck down. This barred him from functioning as a cricket administrator not only in the future but also in praesentia. A person guilty of conflict of interest cannot hold any post of cricket administrator," Cricket Bihar's counsel Nalini Chidambaram had argued.

The sidelined BCCI chief - and other cricket administrators in the Board - were previously barred from having commercial interests while managing the sport in the country. While Cricket Association of Bihar's petition alleged "gross contempt" of the Supreme Court, Sibal had argued that no part of the January 22 ruling was violated by Srinivasan. "He is so much in love with the game... if we had an inkling that Your Lordships did not want it, he would not have done this," Sibal had said. The bench comprising of Justices T.S. Thakur and F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla, while maintaining their strong displeasure, gave Sibal time till Friday to consult his client and come up with its justification.

Whether Sibal can convince the top court of Srinivasan's 'innocent' intentions or fails in its official response remains to be seen. If the Supreme Court sees through the defence though, a notice of contempt would be a realistic possibility, further adding to the Tamil Nadu strong man's recent woes.