Law Commission urges government to bring BCCI under RTI Act

Rejecting the argument that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is a private body, Law Commission on Wednesday recommended the centre that BCCI along with its constituent member cricketing associations should come under the purview of Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Today's development comes after the Law Commission released a draft white paper on Tuesday, recommending holding of simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, possibly in 2019.

Reflecting on Article 12 of the constitution, the commission stated that BCCI ought to be classified as 'state' within the meaning of Article 12 of the Constitution.


Law Commission further added that BCCI exercises state like powers affecting the fundamental rights of the stakeholders, guaranteed under Part III of the Constitution.

In July 2016, the Supreme Court had asked the commission to recommend whether the cricket board can be brought under the RTI Act.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the world's richest cricket body, operates as a private entity under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act.

If the government accepts the commission's recommendations and classifies BCCI as a public body or an organisation under the RTI Act, anyone can file PILs in the SC or HCs questioning the selection of players representing India, states and zones. PILs could also question the agreements signed by BCCI with other cricket playing nations and the International Cricket Council.