N. Srinivasan Should not Have Presided Over BCCI Meeting, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has pulled up N. Srinivasan, the president-in-exile of Board of Control for Cricket in India, for chairing a meeting of the BCCI's working committee earlier this month.

"If he can't contest, how can he hold the post?," asked the top court, which had in January, barred Srinivasan from contesting elections for the post of Board president unless he gives up commercial interest in cricket, which means ownership of the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Chennai Super Kings.

On February 8, Srinivasan attended the BCCI meeting in his capacity as Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president. He also chaired the meeting.

"Srinivasan might have done great service to the game. But after our judgement his position is vulnerable," the Supreme Court observed today.

The Cricket Association of Bihar had petitioned the court, complaining that Srinivasan has violated its order and should be punished. It said Shivlal Yadav, the current interim president of the Board, should have presided over the meeting.

Srinivasan's lawyer Kapil Sibal argued today that his client has not disobeyed the Court order. "No decision was taken in the meeting, only the date for election was fixed," he said.

Sibal also contended that the court's judgement of January 22 stops Srinivasan from contesting elections, but not from continuing in his current post till those elections.

Sibal has sought time till Friday for instructions from Srinivasan and the court has posted its next hearing for then.

(With inputs from A. Vaidyanathan)