IPL corruption: BCCI vs Cricket Association of Bihar case in Supreme Court today

The Supreme Court on Wednesday could not hear the Board of Control for Cricket in India versus Cricket Association of Bihar case. The case was listed at No. 16 but the day's proceedings finished earlier. It may come up for hearing on Thursday.

The BCCI's lawyers are expected to act on a Special Leave Petition filed by the CAB in which the Bihar body wants the appointment of a new committee to probe allegations of corruption in the Indian Premier League.

With the Board's AGM due on September 29, the BCCI's lawyers will be in a hurry to resolve the issue. How they negotiate the CAB's legal moves will be interesting to watch.

The Supreme Court also wants to know from the BCCI's lawyers why a new panel shouldn't be formed to investigate the allegations of spot-fixing and betting during IPL matches in 2013. In the eye of the storm are BCCI's president-in-exile and owner of Chennai Super Kings N. Srinivasan and his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan. (Read: Don't mix my business with cricket, says Srinivasan)

All hell broke loose on the BCCI when the Bombay High Court on July 30 termed the probe panel set up by the Indian cricket board to investigate the role of IPL team owners and management in the spot-fixing and betting scandal as "illegal and unconstitutional". The BCCI probe panel, comprising former judges T Jayaram Chouta and R Balasubramanian, had given a clean chit to Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals co-promoter Raj Kundra in the scandal. (Read; Sreesanth arrested for spot-fixing)

The Bombay High Court had acted on a PIL filed by CAB secretary Aditya Verma. The PIL questioned the sanctity of the panel as it was constituted while Srinivasan was still the president. He stepped aside only on June 2, even though there were demands from many sections for him to resign to ensure a free and fair inquiry. (Read: Srinivasan could face legal action if he chairs BCCI AGM)

The BCCI challenged the Bombay High Court order in the Supreme Court by filing an SLP on August 5. In its 13-page petition, the BCCI had sought to contest the High Court order on various grounds including its decision to entertain the CAB PIL given the board's status as a private body. It also sought to challenge the petitioner's right to file a PIL and question the legality of the inquiry panel when CAB was not even part of the Board. (Read: Dalmiya dodges question on Srinivasan)

With Srinivasan declaring that he will chair the Board AGM in Chennai on September 29, the pressure will be on BCCI lawyers to pave the way for the Tamil Nadu strongman's 'return' to the hotseat. Former president Jagmohan Dalmiya has been handling the BCCI's affairs as caretaker chief even as Srinivasan continues to 'control' the Board's affairs from the sidelines.