Hyderabad Cricket Association vs Charminar Cricket Club: Supreme Court’s Verdict on Cricket Governance

The Supreme Court of India recently delivered a significant judgment in the case involving M/s The Hyderabad Cricket Association and M/s Charminar Cricket Club. The legal battle revolved around the appointment of the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer by the Apex Council of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), with broader implications on cricket administration in India.

The dispute began when M/s Budding Star Cricket Club filed a suit challenging the appointment of the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer by the Apex Council. They argued that the appointments were not in line with the Constitution of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. The Civil Court initially ruled in favor of the petitioners, suspending the appointments. However, the High Court of Telangana overturned this decision, dismissing the suit and imposing a cost of Rs. 25,000.

Unhappy with the High Court’s ruling, the petitioners approached the Supreme Court. As the case progressed, the Supreme Court expanded its scope by appointing a Supervisory Committee to oversee cricket governance in Hyderabad. This committee, chaired by a retired Chief Justice of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, included key figures such as an IPS officer from the Anti-Corruption Bureau and an ex-Indian cricketer.

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Later, recognizing the need for fresh elections, the Supreme Court dissolved the Supervisory Committee and appointed a retired Supreme Court judge to oversee the elections for the Hyderabad Cricket Association. The elections were successfully conducted under judicial supervision, and the appointed judge made recommendations for constitutional amendments to improve governance in the HCA.

When these recommendations were presented before the Supreme Court, a wide range of objections emerged. Some stakeholders supported the changes, while others opposed them, citing potential conflicts with the Constitution of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Supreme Court, while acknowledging the importance of the recommendations, allowed them to be implemented provisionally.

During hearings, counsel for the elected office bearers highlighted a parallel case—Civil Appeal No. 4235 of 2014—pending before another bench of the Supreme Court. This appeal dealt with broader issues concerning the Constitution of BCCI and required state cricket associations to align their governance structures with BCCI regulations. It was argued that adopting the recommendations of the Single Member Committee for HCA might create inconsistencies with BCCI’s governance framework.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court, considering the importance of consistency in cricket governance, directed that the matter be tagged with Civil Appeal No. 4235 of 2014 for a unified ruling. The Court stated:

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“Having given our anxious consideration and without going into the merits of the matters, once the issue is raised that the recommendations made by the Single Member Committee which are to be approved/disapproved in the present case, may be in conflict or not in consonance with the Constitution, Regulations and Guidelines of the BCCI, it would only be appropriate that these matters may be tagged with Civil Appeal No.4235 of 2014 and heard by the same bench.”

The Court concluded by directing the Registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice of India for further orders.

The judgment highlights the importance of maintaining uniformity in cricket administration across India, ensuring that state associations function in harmony with national regulations.

Petitioner Name: M/s The Hyderabad Cricket Association.
Respondent Name: M/s Charminar Cricket Club & Anr..
Judgment By: Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.
Place Of Incident: Hyderabad, Telangana.
Judgment Date: 03-01-2025.

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