Sports Desk: The Central Information Commission (CIC) on Monday ruled that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not fall under the definition of a “public authority” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, stating that the cricket board is neither owned, controlled, nor substantially funded by the government. The ruling came while dismissing an appeal filed by Geeta Rani, who had sought information regarding the provisions and authority under which the BCCI represents India and selects players for national and international cricket tournaments.
In its order, the CIC observed that the BCCI is a private autonomous body registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act and was not established through the Constitution, an Act of Parliament, a state legislature, or any government notification. The Commission also noted that the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had earlier informed the applicant that the requested information was not available with the ministry and that the RTI application could not be transferred to the BCCI because the board had not been declared a public authority under the RTI Act. The latest ruling marks a reversal from the CIC’s 2018 observation, in which the commission had stated that the BCCI should come under the ambit of the RTI Act due to its role in representing India in international cricket and the indirect support it receives from government agencies.
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At the time, the CIC had argued that since players wear the national jersey and the board manages significant public-facing assets, the BCCI should remain accountable to citizens. However, the BCCI challenged that decision in court, maintaining that it is an autonomous private body. Last year, the Madras High Court directed the CIC to reconsider the issue in light of previous Supreme Court judgments. Following the review, the CIC has now concluded that the BCCI is not obligated to provide information under the RTI Act.
