Law Commission of India recommends Centre to make BCCI a 'state' body, bring it under Right to Information Act

The Law Commission of India has recommended the central government to make the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a national sports federation and bring it under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

Image of the BCCI logo. AFP

According to a News 18 report, the commission, headed by Justice BS Chauhan, has asked the government to classify BCCI as “state” under Article 12 of the Constitution.

In its 124-page report, the commission has informed Union minister of law and justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, that "BCCI exercises ‘state-like’ powers affecting the fundamental rights of the stakeholders."

The BCCI is presently working as private entity under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. If the cricket body becomes a 'state' entity, it will be answerable to the Supreme Court and high courts. The Board will also have to be open to public interest litigations (PILs).

The report also stated that non-consideration of the role played by the BCCI as monopolistic in regulation of the game of cricket has resulted in the board "flying under the radar of public scrutiny, encouraged an environment of opacity and non-accountability".

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

With inputs from Agencies