India Cements Ltd. vice-chairman and managing director N. Srinivasan offered an “unconditional apology” to the Supreme Court on Friday for chairing a meeting of the working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India on February 8, despite a January 22 judgment finding him liable for conflict of interest.
A Bench of Justices T.S. Thakur and F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla accepted Mr. Srinivasan’s apology, but barred him from presiding over or participating in any decision-making at the Annual General Meeting scheduled for March 2.
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The court, however, gave Mr. Srinivasan limited access to cast vote on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA).
The Supreme Court on Friday observed that the bar on India Cements managing director N. Srinivasan presiding over or participating in any decision-making as a cricket administrator would continue “till such time as the judgment of this court prevents him from doing so.”
The court’s observation came after a bench of Justices T.S. Thakur and F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla accepted Mr. Srinivasan’s apology for chairing a meeting of the working committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India on February 8.
The Bench then closed the contempt proceedings initiated on the basis of a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar, represented by senior advocate Nalini Chidambaram, alleging that Mr. Srinivasan and BCCI officials held the February 8 meeting in “open defiance” of the court verdict. The contempt petition had alleged that Mr. Srinivasan might even preside over the AGM scheduled for March 2 as BCCI president.
Kapil Sibal, appearing for Mr. Srinivasan, declared that “he [Mr. Srinivasan] will not chair the March 2 meeting.”
“But why did you preside over the February 8 meeting?... You are supposed to explain that,” Justice Kalifulla said.
“Are you saying that you chaired that meeting over some misunderstanding,” Justice Thakur questioned.
Mr. Sibal responded: “I am sorry. I just want to say that.”
“That’s what we wanted too. Now, we shall say he presided in the past meeting on a bona fide mistake without intention. And looking back, he says he should not have done that. Is it not?” Justice Thakur asked Mr. Sibal.
But Ms. Chidambaram said the apology was not enough. “He has only apologised for presiding and not participating in the February 8 meeting. Participation also invites contempt,” the senior counsel submitted. Ms. Chidambaram pointed out that Mr. Srinivasan could still participate in the March 2 AGM as TNCA president and this could not be permitted in the light of the January 22 judgment.
But the Bench objected to this argument, saying Mr. Srinivasan was only going to the AGM to cast the TNCA’s vote as its nominee and not as its president. The court made it clear that it was allowing Mr. Srinivasan to act as “medium” for the TNCA for to protect the association’s right to vote.
Meanwhile, reliable sources told The Hindu that while Mr. Srinivasan would vote at the AGM, another member of the TNCA would take part in the deliberations. The source said: “Mr. Srinivasan had never wanted to contest for the post of president. This has been made clear earlier. All he wants to do is to cast his vote as TNCA president and he has been allowed to do so by the Supreme Court.”
( With inputs from S. Dinakar, Chennai)
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