National Sports Governance Bill: Relief to BCCI, Indian Cricket Board will not come under the purview of RTI, understand the entire case

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has amended the provision of RTI of the National Sports Administration Bill, under which only those institutions have been kept under its purview which are dependent on government grants and assistance and this will give a lot of relief to the BCCI.

Sports Minister Mansukh Mandavia made this bill in the Lok Sabha on 23 July, whose provision 15 (2) states that “a recognized sports organization will be considered a public authority under this Act under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 in relation to the use of its actions, duties and powers under this Act.”

RTI has been a complicated issue for BCCI which has continuously opposed it to its undergoing government assistance unlike other National Sports Federation (NSF). These apprehensions came to an end by amending the bill.

A knowledgeable source said, ‘The amended provision defines the public authority as an institution that depends on government money or aid. With this amendment, there has been a clear definition of public authority.

The source said, “If this was not done, it would have been an unclear area due to which the bill could have been stuck or it could be challenged in the court, so anything related to public money would come under the purview of RTI.”

He further said, ‘Even if the National Federation is not taking government assistance, even if there is any government assistance in organizing or operation of its tournaments, then it can be questioned. Government assistance is not only in the context of money but also in the context of infrastructure.

The BCCI had earlier said that it would study it before commenting on the bill.

On the enactment of the Bill, the BCCI will have to register themselves as NSF as Cricket is going to make a debut in the T20 format at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Another important aspect of this is the National Sports Tribunal, which will have the same powers as a civil court and will settle the controversies ranging from selections related to federations and athletes to elections. Once established, the decisions of the tribunal will be challenged only in the Supreme Court.

The bill is giving some concessions on the issue of age limit for administrators, under which people between the ages of 70 to 75 are allowed to contest elections, provided the rules and sub -regulations of the concerned international institutions allow it. The age limit to contest elections in the National Sports Code was set 70 years.