Why shouldn’t National Sports Governance Act apply to BCCI, asks Supreme Court

SC Asks BCCI: Why Shouldn't Cricket Fall Under the National Sports Governance Act?

The Supreme Court has turned to the BCCI and state cricket associations, asking them to explain why they shouldn't be brought under the NSG Act 2025. After 12 years of managing cricket's governance litigations—ever since it swept in reforms in the world's richest cricket body—the Court is keen to offload this ongoing burden.

A bench of CJI Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, issued this query at the tail end of Tuesday's proceedings. The Court wants responses from the BCCI and its state affiliates on being brought under the NSG Act's fold.

The backdrop? A steady stream of applications flowing through the original petition BCCI filed back in 2014. State associations keep coming in with requests—from minor constitutional tweaks to heated factional disputes over control of these cash-rich bodies. The BCCI's constitution was framed in Aug 2018 on the Lodha committee's recommendations, with the SC later allowing key amendments in Sept 2022 around office-bearers' terms and a cooling-off period.

Here's what's at stake: The sports ministry notified fresh NSG Act rules this May to strengthen sports body management and dispute resolution. If the BCCI and state bodies agree to be covered, all pending SC litigation on cricket management would shift to the sports tribunal—relieving the overburdened Court considerably.

The NSG Act mandates a National Sports Board as the central regulator, responsible for recognizing national sports bodies and ensuring compliance with governance, financial, and ethical standards. It also lays down processes for transparent elections and office-bearers' tenures.

A new chapter for cricket governance may well be on the horizon.

Source: Times of India