BCCI moves court against arbitrator order on RR

The Cricket Board Thursday moved the Bombay High Court against the arbitrators stay to the termination of contract with IPL franchisee Rajasthan Royals by it.

The Cricket Board Thursday moved the Bombay High Court against the arbitrators stay to the termination of contract with IPL franchisee Rajasthan Royals by it. The High Court will fix a date of hearing of BCCIs appeal on Friday.

Justice BN Srikrishna,who was appointed as arbitrator with the consent of both the parties,on November 30 stayed the termination saying that prima facie it was illegal. Meanwhile,in an other development,Kings XI Punjab today alleged before the High Court that the BCCI deliberately kept silent on arbitrator Justice Srikrishnas disclosure that he might have to pull out of arbitration.

The BCCI terminated franchisee contract with Kings XI too and this dispute has also landed in the High Court as Justice Srikrishna yesterday recused himself from arbitration. The former Supreme Court judge disclosed that he had once represented (as a lawyer) Bombay Dyeing,whose owner Ness Wadia has a stake in Kings XI. Following which,BCCI said that it had some reservations,and Srikrishna decided to pull out of the proceedings.

But today,Kings XI lawyer and senior counsel Darius Khambata alleged that Justice Srikrishna had disclosed this fact on November 23,during arbitration proceedings between BCCI and Rajasthan Royals,but BCCI did not take exception to his acting as arbitrator in Kings XI dispute until yesterday.

BCCI kept silent deliberately…They strung us along for one week as the deadline for negotiating with marquee players is to expire on December 6, said advocate Khambata. Justice S J Vazifdar,who was hearing the case today,remarked: The learned judge (Srikrishna) ought not to have recused.

As the High Court is going to hear both Kings XIs petition,as well as BCCIs appeal against arbitrators stay in Rajasthan Royals case next week.