The Supreme Court on Wednesday permitted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to spend a sum of Rs2.83 crore for two Tests, three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three T20s against England.
The bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud asked the apex cricketing board to submit the income-expenditure accounts of the Tests including those played at Rajkot, Visakhapatnam, Mohali, and to be played Mumbai and Chennai.
The BCCI has sought Rs3.79 crore for the three ODIs and three Twenty20 matches but the court allowed only Rs25 lakh for each of the six limited overs matches and sanctioned a sum of Rs1.33 crore for the Mumbai and Chennai Tests.
While not opposing the BCCI plea for funds, advocate Gopal Shankarnarayan told the court that the Board of Control for Cricket in India was holding matches at the venues owned by its state affiliates which have refused to comply with the directions of Justice lodha panel for effecting organisational reforms in the national cricketing body.
"These are the states which have not accepted your directions but matches are being played at their venues", Shankarnarayan told the court.
Seeking the income-expenditure account, Chief Justice Thakur said, "We want to know how much is being spent, and how much BCCI is getting."
"You are spending more than what you are earning. For each Test match there is a balance sheet," Chief Justice Thakur observed as counsel Kapil Sibal, standing for the BCCI, gave some figure.