Bombay HC questions rationale behind fee waiver for BCCI matches
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Mumbai: The Bombay High Court ruled on Thursday that, on the face of it, there was no justification for the Maharashtra government to lower the fees of police protection for T20, ODI, and Test cricket matches that have been played in the state since 2011.
The court also ordered the home department's additional chief secretary to respond to a public interest lawsuit filed by an RTI activist within two weeks, arguing that a government resolution from June 26, 2023, which lowered police protection fees, benefited the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and other organisations and caused losses to the public exchequer, Indian Express reported.
“You keep on increasing water charges on slums and keep on reducing charges for this (police protection for cricket matches)? BCCI is the richest cricket association even globally. That is how they have become rich?” the bench questioned the state government.
According to the government resolution cited in RTI activist Anil Galgali's plea, police security fees in Mumbai may be as much as Rs 66 lakh for T20 and ODI matches and Rs 55 lakh for Test matches. He said that fees for T20 and ODI matches played in Nagpur, Pune, and Navi Mumbai was Rs 44 lakh.
The petitioner further stated that the police security price for T20, ODI, and Test matches in Mumbai was Rs 60 lakh, in accordance with a government resolution dated November 12, 2018. The fee was Rs 50 lakh for T20 and ODI matches played in Nagpur, Pune, and Navi Mumbai, and Rs 40 lakh for Test matches.
Galgali claims that the organisers have not paid the amount that they should have paid in accordance with the rates established by the two government resolutions and that in addition to 9.5% interest, over Rs 14.82 crore in arrears must be collected from the MCA alone.
“Instead of effecting recovery, the Government has issued June 2023 GR, whereby rates were revised and reduced substantially,” the petitioner submitted.
“Prima facie we do not see any rationale for the state government to have not only reduced the fee to be paid by organisers but also to have waived arrears,” the bench said. It directed the home department to state reasons for waiving the organisers’ liabilities.
According to the bench, the affidavit should disclose the entire amount of arrears accumulated by the organisers since 2011 as well as the measures taken by the authorities to retrieve them. Seeking a rejoinder from the petitioner, the bench posted the matter for further hearing on October 7.