BCCI told not involve third party in telecast issue

The Bombay High Court has asked the Indian board not to award an interim contract to any other television channel and maintain status quo for cricket-telecast rights until the dispute between Zee Network and ESPN-Star Sports is resolved. This was after Zee decided against going in for fresh bids for the four-year telecast rights for international matches played in India. The case is due to come for hearing on Thursday.

However, Virendra Tulzapurkar, the BCCI lawyer, said that the matter was still pending in court and the BCCI would be in a spot if the case dragged on. The Indian Express reported that in an affidavit filed by the BCCI on Tuesday, they said that the series must be telecast unless the "Honourable High Court rejects the non-maintainable petition."

In the event of the series not being telecast, "there is every likelihood that not only will the entire series be cancelled with the possibility of penal measures but also that the same is likely to cause serious international repercussions."

Additionally, the BCCI's petition also mentions the tender process and says, "BCCI may, in its unfettered discretion, decide to accept a tender or reject it and shall not be obligatory on its part to provide any reason therefore."

The issue of came up after speculation about Prasar Bharti, the national broadcaster, being awarded the interim rights if there was no outright winner.