The Supreme Court has sent a legal notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) enquiring why the IPL media rights auction hasn't taken place over the internet. An answer has been sought from the Indian cricket board within two weeks.
The apex court acted on a petition filed by BJP's Subramanian Swamy over the lack of transparency in the IPL media rights bidding process. He mentioned in the PIL that the BCCI should have gone for e-auction since an audacious amount of Rs 30,000 crore is on the line.
New broadcasters and digital companies will join the IPL from the 2018 edition.
Facebook, Twitter, Reliance Jio, Sony Pictures Network India and Star India were revealed as some of the major companies who picked up the tender document made available for purchase by the BCCI, last year.
While the broadcast rights for the Indian subcontinent is for 10 seasons (from 2018 to 2027), the IPL digital rights are valid for five seasons (from 2018 to 2022). The international media rights, too, are valid for five seasons.
Full list of companies who purchased the tender documents
The auction process for IPL media rights is scheduled to begin on August 17.
What Swamy wrote in his petition:
This petition prays that the distribution of IPL Rights which is scheduled on August 17, 2017 should be done in the most transparent mode available that is via e-Auction.
There is a requirement of non-discriminatory and transparent method, (in line) with the best international practices, to be adopted for distribution of valuable media rights so as to ensure maximum revenue in the larger national interest.
The commercial interests and huge money is involved, amounting to Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore, in the valuable rights associated with the game of cricket in India, which makes it mandatory to have a robust, completely transparent auction method to maximise revenue and prevent vested interest from making undue gains.
Supreme Court will hear the case next on August 22.
