'Do you want to sit over the liquidation of the game?'

"How did he stay on despite all the allegations? His staying on is nauseating for cricket… It seems that Mr Srinivasan has not taken the allegations seriously."
Supreme Court Justice AK Patnaik on N Srinivasan's refusal to relinquish his position as BCCI President despite facing a barrage of allegations

"The BCCI's annual general meeting is not our concern. Signing the account book cannot be a ground for reinstatement."
Supreme Court Justices Tirath Singh Thakur and Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla are unimpressed with the argument for the reinstatement of N Srinivasan

"Your duty as President is to keep the show [IPL] running and to keep it clean. What is your duty as a team owner? To win the tournament. Is this not a conflict?"
Justices Thakur and Kalifulla (henceforth, the Supreme Court) brings up the question of the conflict of interest between N Srinivasan's dual role as President of the BCCI and the Managing Director of India Cements, the entity which owns the Chennai Super Kings franchise

"Do you want to sit over the liquidation of the game in this country?"
The Supreme Court's puts a foreboding question to the BCCI about the future of Indian cricket

"You mean to say when a decision is taken in the BCCI, the President is a mute spectator in all this? That he has no say in the matter?"
More questions by the Supreme Court about N Srinivasan's conflict of interest.

"Recognition comes when one lakh [100,000] people turn up at Eden Gardens to watch a match. That recognition is not because of Srinivasan. The benefit of doubt must go to the game rather than the individual."
The Supreme Court restores the power enjoyed by Indian cricket to its rightful owner.

"We expect you to challenge the Mudgal report and call it useless. We don't expect people to stand up and confess."
The Supreme Court is not surprised when the counsel for the BCCI and N Srinivasan question the findings of the produced by the court-appointed Mudgal Committee investigating the 2013 IPL corruption scandal.

"Which private body sets up an anti-corruption body unless it feels there will be corruption?"
Leading Supreme Court advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioners Cricket Association of Bihar against N Srinivasan, makes a whimsical observation about the anti-corruption measures adopted by the BCCI.

"What is more valuable to Mr Srinivasan? Is it his office or his team?"
The Supreme Court is as perplexed as the general public about N Srinivasan's many roles

"The distinction between Mr Srinivasan and India Cements is getting to a vanishing point."
The Supreme Court finds it difficult to treat N Srinivasan and India Cements' as separate entities when it comes to the roles performed in with the Chennai Super Kings franchise.

"Why are you taking his name? Dropping names of unconnected individuals in not permitted"
The Supreme Court asks why the name of Arun Jaitley, India's finance and information and broadcasting minister, is repeatedly brought up in the courtroom by Srinivasan's counsel Kapil Sibal.

"Either there is a conflict of interest or there is no conflict of interest. There is no third truth."
The Supreme Court sees the conflict of interest issue in black and white, no grey

"Who should be allowed to fight [the BCCI election]? People who are subject to a matter of inquiry, people who are indicted by the commission? Should they proceed to capture the BCCI once again?"
The Supreme Court questions the BCCI and N Srinivasan's urgency seeking permission to allow him contest the BCCI's delayed annual elections.

"You are a contractor and you're heading a contracting party."
The Supreme Court's spells out the advantage given to N Srinivasan following an amendment to a clause in the BCCI constitution.

"Bias acts in a subtle way. Even as a president if you go away, the bias will continue to influence the judgement of other people. Will it make a difference? [If Srinivasan is distanced from the CSK case] It won't."
The Supreme Court says it will make a little difference if N Srinivasan, in case re-elected as BCCI president, offers to step aside from all investigations surrounding his IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings.

"The right to participate in the electoral process has nothing to do with conflict of interest. Why should I be saddled with the consequences due to the statements attributed to someone else?"
Prominent Supreme Court advocate, Kapil Sibal, counsel for N Srinivasan, on his right to contest the BCCI elections

"If you wish to contest as president, your investment is endangered. If you don't fight the elections, your investment is safe."
The Supreme Court simplifies a complex situation for N Srinivasan

"We can understand your passion for the game but not so much passion."
The Supreme Court tells Srinivasan that that too much passion is not necessarily a good thing

"Have you invested money in cricket only for the love of the game? Business is business."
The Supreme Court is not convinced that N Srinivasan's cricket-related investments are based purely on love of the sport

"Could any other Board could call the team selected by them 'Team India?' You have a de facto and de jure monopoly"
The Supreme Court is clear that the BCCI's legal status as a private body does not prevent it from enjoying public monopoly over the sport in India.

"If you fail in your duty, can't we get it corrected? If there is some temptation for a thief to enter, why can't you stop it? Why are you averse to it?"
The Supreme Court on the BCCI's inefficiency and the subsequent need for the court to intervene

"So you want us to catch the thief but not plug the scope of future theft?"
The Supreme Court on the BCCI's plea for autonomy after the court investigation pointed out lapses in its administration.

"It doesn't make a difference, betting is betting. You should have ensured you are not surrounded by people who bet"
The Supreme Court to the India Cements lawyer, unwilling to allow the company any leeway based on the argument that Gurunath Meiyappan was betting from the confines of his house

"You knew [the] role of officials in betting, you did nothing despite the knowledge, was it like putting your job at stake?"
The Supreme Court to Sundar Raman, Chief Operating Officer of the IPL, in response to the defence that his hands were tied even after being given the information that two IPL officials were involved in betting

"What material did you expect? Did you think these people keep cash books and ledgers? Someone calls and says, ABC is betting, what will you ask? You will say you need actionable information?"
The Supreme Court to Sundar Raman on his expectation of "actionable" evidence

"You have done nothing. You are only looking after celebrities and just watching the fun."
The Supreme Court to Sundar Raman, on his not passing on the information he received about two IPL officials betting to anyone else in the BCCI.

"You are saying that even if there are problems [in Indian cricket], the court should not intervene."
The Supreme Court to the BCCI on its limited expectations of the court

"Your rules may be sacrosanct for you but not for us. You should take that off your mind that the court is powerless.
The Supreme Court reminds the BCCI of its overriding powers

"This is not the case of a Masonic lodge or a co-operative society."
Supreme Court lawyer Rajeev Dhavan, appearing for former BCCI president IS Bindra, on the case at hand involving a larger public issue, and it not being a private matter

"The IPL is in a different class of its own."
CA Sundaram, lawyer for the BCCI, on the high-profile, profitable Indian Premier League

"Sending out a team, selecting a team, calling it team India, offering players opportunities to play, barring players from discharging these opportunities because of a rule violation."
CA Sundaram defines the functions of the BCCI

"No IPL record of any player is considered during the selection of any Indian team at any level."
Kapil Sibal on the selection policy of the BCCI