Court wrangle threatens BCCI celebrations

Factionalism and legal wrangles that presently riddle India's cricket board are threatening to thrown a spanner in the premier sporting body's platinum jubilee celebrations.

The uncertainty that engulfs the Board of Control from Cricket in India's (BCCI's) administration has discouraged its office-bearers from planning the celebrations because their very election is being challenged in court.

The BCCI has lined up a plethora of events to mark its 75th year, including a limited over cricket match between India and Pakistan on November 13 at Eden Gardens here.

The celebrations were to have begun on November 3 and culminated in an official dinner in New Delhi on November 14 with a felicitation ceremony for eminent cricketers. Several other events like the release of a book on Indian cricket history are slated.

But, all of this could be in jeopardy.

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"The uncertainty is because no one seems to know who runs the BCCI now or what the status of the new office-bearers was," a senior board member told rediff.com.

The BCCI's new office-bearers were elected in an acrimonious election on September 29. But, a rival faction challenged the election in court.

The Supreme Court is expected to decide on the case on October 26. "Until then, the uncertainty will persist," the member said. "No one wants to risk doing anything for fear of legal action."

The court had indicated that it cold order fresh election to BCCI.