Organising a Test match is like a daughter's marriage: Justice Mudgal

New Delhi: Terming his maiden experience of overseeing the organisation of a Test match as an “interesting experience”, the High Court appointed observer Justice (Retd) Mukul Mudgal said that it felt like a “daughter’s marriage”. However, Mudgal reserved his comments about how it felt working in the controversy-ridden DDCA. Asked about his experience so far after having taken charge, Mudgal jokingly said: “It’s almost like my daughter’s marriage. Actually, I don’t have a daughter but I know what a girl’s parents go through before her marriage. Especially when we had very little time after the High Court order. May be, we will have some deficiencies but we will get wiser with experience.” [caption id=“attachment_1780647” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Justice Mudgal.[/caption] Asked about his experiences of working in DDCA, Mudgal’s reply was a cautious one. “Look even if I have to give an adverse comment, I will not like to give it just now. It won’t be proper. Experience has been interesting. Beyond that I won’t say anything,” the legal luminary said. There was a probing question from another scribe if he has received co-operation from DDCA officials, and he smiled and answered: “yes and No.” “Around 8250 children including those who are hearing impaired and problems regarding speech will be given free tickets, free transportation (by Delhi Government), free meal, cold drink, free mineral water and fruit.” The rates of the season tickets are Rs 250, 500, 1000, 4000, 4500, 5000 respectively. Tickets will be available from nine Cafe Coffee Day outlets across Delhi. Tickets will also be available from Embassy Restaurant at Civil Lines and Connaught Place. However, Mudgal said that “daily tickets will be up for sale with two physical kiosks being set up at JP Park and Bal Bhavan”. “We would be selling daily tickets in the light of the fact that Test match might not last full five days. Thank God, we are in charge of the pitch and I do not know what the nature of the pitch and have no control over it.” Mudgal also said that he and former Deputy CAG IP Singh, who is supervising the tendering process, have bought their own tickets. “Myself and IP Singh have refused complimentaries. We have bought our tickets. Complimentaries create a lot of controversies and we will be setting benchmark by buying our own tickets.” As has been reported, the DDCA has done a break-even this time with in-stadia rights being sold for Rs 2.05 crore and tenders being given at much lower rates. “We have funds for the day to day expenditures after the sale of in-stadia rights. All the tender documents have been supervised by IP Singh, whose integrity is unquestionable. After the match, I can give you comparative chart about how much we saved from tenders,” said Mudgal. PTI