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Court restrains BCCI

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI AUG 8. The Board of Control for Cricket in India's special general meeting, convened on Thursday with a view to bringing about changes in the constitution to tackle the problem of Jharkhand, Uttaranchal and Chhattisgarh (three bifurcated States) was in disarray after the Tamil Nadu High Court, acting on a plea submitted by an affiliated club (Netaji Cricket Club), restrained the Board from carrying out the agenda's main item, mentioned in a notice to member associations.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the Board president, announcing this at a media briefing in Mumbai in connection with special meeting on Thursday, admitted that the Chennai civil suit took him by surprise and was therefore not contested when it came up for hearing. He said that status quo would be maintained in view of the court order, but since time at the disposal of the Board's Programmes & Fixtures committee, which meets on Friday, is short, the committee has been asked to arrange the Ranji Trophy schedules in accordance with the proposed revised format, 15 teams in the elite group and 12 in the second division, on the basis of last year's (combined) teams.

The Board president refused to discuss on the specifics of the court order, pointing out that the matter was sub judice and wary of his words being twisted in print.

Stating that the court order restraining BCCI from going ahead on the membership issue about the bifurcated states was an occupational hazard, he emphasised that cricket would suffer as a result. He informed that since the notice is returnable on September 4, he will look into the matter and let the solicitors handle the issue.

Mr. Dalmiya informed that a writ petition filed in Patna three days ago by two individuals claiming to be interested in cricket, seeking the same restraint against proceeding with the Special General meeting agenda was contested by the Board after it was made aware of it and the case was dismissed by the judge on grounds of petition regarded as a "misconceived application."

The Patna petition happened because Bihar would have been an aggrieved party had the Board passed amendments to recognise Jharkhand as full member.

Asked about the revised contracts with Indian players, the Board president said that the players and BCCI were in broad agreement, though written contracts had not been finalised. The status of player contracts came up after the Board announced a Rs. one crore bonus to the Indian team for winning the recent NatWest Trophy against England, a side ranked lower than India in one-day cricket.

Dalmiya also stated that deductions for losing the first Test against England would not be implemented as yet, since parameters for Tests were different from one-dayers.

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