Indian news round-up

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) filed in the Delhi High Court on April 20 this year by lawyer Shantanu Sharma and businessman Rahul Mehra is to come up for hearing on July 12.

Speaking to an Indian web site in New Delhi, the petitioners prayed for a thorough investigation into the accounts of the BCCI. They said ``There should be an investigation into the accounts of BCCI for at least five years, the accounts should be transparent and shall be audited by the CAG or any other independent organisation of auditors in this country, income tax and entertainment tax exemptions and the lease of stadia should be withdrawn unless the BCCI functions in a transparent and accountable manner and unless they reorganise themselves so that they work to promote the object for which they were created.''

The petitioners who have collected hard and extensive evidences against the BCCI said ``When the BCCI has been granted income-tax exemption under the Income Tax Act, entertainment tax exemption, has been provided with state security, given huge cricket stadia in the heart of cities on soft leases, how can they be unaccountable?'' Among other details of the revenue, the petitioners also furnished information regarding the BCCI's fixed deposits which they said are worth Rs 48 crore. ``Why cannot they spend that money for the development and growth of cricket in the country?'' they enquired.

The Union Sports Ministry on Friday announced the formation of a council for the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF). The council includes among others former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, sprinter PT Usha and former Indian hockey captain Pargat Singh.

The 19-member council also includes industrialist Rahul Bajaj, Punjab National Bank chairman SS Kohli, Indian Oil Corporation Chief MA Pathan, HUDCO Chairman V Suresh and the corporate President of the Sun group of industries Vikramjit Singh Sawhney as its members. The council is to be headed by the Union Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. Minister of State for Sports Syed Shahnawaz Hussein has been named as the Vice-Chairman of the NSDF.

The seven member executive commitee of the NSDF is dominated by government officials and a single sports woman in PT Usha and is headed by the Sports Secretary NN Khanna. The Director-General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) DK Mittal, Joint Secretary JP Singh and Financial Adviser for the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sanjay Narayan in are the ex-officio members.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) technical committee which is headed by former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar will be meeting in Pune on July 11. The chairman of the BCCI selection committee, Chandu Borde is also expected to attend the meeting.

One of the most important issues to be discussed during the meeting is the introduction of the Duckworth-Lewis rain rule for the limited overs matches and the new format of the Duleep Trophy, which is slated to be held on a round-robin format from January 4 to February 6, 2001.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly picked up two wickets while giving away 39 runs as Derbyshire reached 300 for the loss of nine wickets at stumps on the first day of the PPP Healthcare County Championship Division One match against Lancashire at Derby on Friday.

Electing to bat, Derbyshire made a heady start as openers Stephen Stubbings and Stephen Titchard added 53 runs when Ganguly made the first inroads for Lancashire. He shattered the defences of Titchard and then came back to pick up the wicket of Karl Krikken.

Meanwhile legspinner Anil Kumble went wicketless in his 21 overs as Surrey scored 334 runs for the loss of eight wickets at close of play on the first day of their PPP healthcare County Championship Division One county match against Leicestershire at the Oakham School Ground on Friday.