BCCI accused of contempt of court

Jogesh Khattar, a member of the Bhopal Cricket Association, has served a petition in the Bhopal High Court alleging that the BCCI has committed contempt of court by electing Jagmohan Dalmiya as its patron-in-chief.

Khattar had filed a petition last week asking the court to prevent the BCCI from making the appointment, on the grounds that there was no provision for it in their constitution, and the court had accordingly directed the board to refrain from any activity that was not in accordance with their constitution.

The crux of the matter lies in the interpretation of that order. Professor Ratnakar Shetty, joint secretary of the board, told Wisden Cricinfo, "There is a provision in the constitution. We have taken a decision and it is within the rules."

Khattar's contention, meanwhile, is that the board's constitution allows only for an outsider to be made chief patron, and not an incumbent president. The court had accepted that argument had prima facie merit, but they have yet to rule on it.