BCCI is completely out of the scope of RTIImage Credit source: PTI

BCCI-RTI Issue: Can any kind of information be sought from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)? Can the 'Right to Information' (RTI) law be used on BCCI? This question has been arising again and again for more than a decade. Many answers have been received regarding this but still the question continues to arise. Now the Central Information Commission (CIC) has made it clear that the Indian Cricket Board does not come under the purview of RTI because it is not a 'public authority' i.e. a government institution or department.

CIC has given this decision on an appeal, in which BCCI Apart from bringing it under the ambit of RTI, questions were asked related to the rules of selection of players. CIC, the body that enforces the Right to Information in the country, gave its decision on this appeal and rejected the appeal. CIC has said that BCCI does not have any form of government control or interference nor does it receive any kind of financial assistance from the government.

Appeal regarding selection information also rejected

Not only this, CIC also rejected this appeal in which information was sought regarding the provisions and authority under which BCCI represents India. Also, CIC refused to tell anything about the basis on which players are selected for national and international tournaments because it is outside its scope.

Information Commissioner PR Ramesh said in his order, BCCI cannot be classified as a public authority within the meaning of Section 2(h) of the RTI Act, therefore, in the circumstances of the present case, the provisions of the RTI Act are not applicable to it.

Under which law does BCCI come?

Explaining the status of BCCI as an institution, the Information Commission said that the Cricket Board is a private autonomous body, registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act. CIC said that BCCI has not been constituted by the Constitution, Parliament or any State Legislature or any government notification, hence it is not a government institution and is out of RTI.

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