BNLive: New Delhi: Monday, May 20, 2013.
Even as Law
Minister Kapil Sibal proposed a new law to fight fixing in sports, his Cabinet
colleagues Rajiv Shukla and Ajay Maken spoke in two different voices over the
exemption of BCCI from the Right to Information Act. Union Minister Ajay Maken,
who earlier held the sports portfolio, wants the BCCI brought under the Right
to Information Act.
He tweeted,
"BCCI should agree to come under RTI. Any organisation entrusted with job
of selecting a National Team can not call itself a Private Body!"
But Maken's
call was rejected by his Cabinet colleague and IPL chief Rajiv Shukla. "A
private body cannot be brought under RTI. Bringing BCCI under RTI will not
check spot-fixing," Shukla said.
Maken, who
holds Housing portfolio at present, said the Centre has already taken a stand
before Central Information Commission (CIC) that the Board of Control for
Cricket in India (BCCI) should be under the ambit of the Information law.
During his stint in the Sports Ministry, Maken had tried to bring transparency
in sports bodies through the Sports Bill.
But following
divergent views within the Union Cabinet, he was asked to redraft certain provisions.
In December, 2011 the Sports Ministry had informed the CIC that there are
"just and reasonable grounds" for bringing BCCI under the ambit of
the Right to Information Act.
In a
seven-page written statement submitted before the CIC, the Sports Ministry had
said although there is no direct funding of the BCCI, it gets "substantial
indirect funding" from the government in the form of revenue forgo like
"concessions in income tax, customs duty, etc" and land at
concessional rates for stadiums.
The Ministry
also said BCCI is performing the functions "akin" to State and
'public duties' by selecting national teams and representing India in
international events. According to section 2(h) of RTI Act, even a
non-government organisation comes under the ambit of the transparency law if it
is substantially financed, "directly or indirectly" by funds provided
by the appropriate government.
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