Court clears deck for BCCI to expel ex-IPL chief Lalit Modi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday vacated the stay order issued by a trial court barring the Board of Control for Cricket in India from holding its Special General Meeting in Chennai today (September 25). The BCCI moved the High Court on Monday to challenge the order that restrained the BCCI from conducting the SGM where the Board is expected to ban former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi.

The trial court order was issued last Saturday after Lalit Modi challenged the validity of the SGM. On Tuesday, Justice VK Shali heard BCCI's plea. The BCCI lawyers contended that the trial court had no jurisdiction over the matter as the SGM is scheduled to be held in Chennai. Modi's lawyers are likely to appeal to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

The BCCI expected to ban Modi for alleged financial irregularities in the running of the Twenty20 league. The 49-year-old was also issued a notice by the Board to this regard on September 2. However Modi's counsel contended that the notice issued to him was 'illegal and contrary to the rules and regulations of BCCI'. Modi is challenging the appointment of BCCI secretary Sanjay Patil, who issued the notice on behalf of president-in-exile N. Srinivasan. Modi claims that Srinivasan, who agreed to step away from the day-to-day affairs of the Board until the probe into the IPL corruption case was completed, currently had no authority to make any appointment.

Modi was the IPL chairman-cum-commissioner during the first three editions of the tournament but was suspended immediately after the closing ceremony in 2010 on charges of financial irregularities in running the league as well as improper practices during auction of two new teams before the third edition.