The Supreme Court of India has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and its affiliated state associations to explain why they should not come under the National Sports Governance (NSG) Act, 2025. The issue was raised during a hearing involving multiple applications related to cricket administration and could have significant implications for how Indian cricket is governed. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana, issued the order on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court also expressed concern over the prolonged litigation surrounding the administration of cricket and sought responses from the BCCI and the state associations. The apex court has played a major role in BCCI reforms since 2014, when it began examining changes based on the recommendations of the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee. The court approved a revised BCCI Constitution in 2018 and later allowed changes to the tenure of office-bearers and the cooling-off provisions in 2022.
Despite those reforms, disputes involving state associations and their members have continued to reach the Supreme Court. Several cases concern proposed constitutional amendments, election-related issues and disagreements between rival groups seeking control of state cricket bodies.
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The Sports Ministry notified rules under the NSG Act in May 2026. The legislation provides for a National Sports Board to oversee governance, financial practices and ethical standards within national sports bodies. It also lays down provisions concerning elections, office-bearer terms and mechanisms for resolving disputes.
If the BCCI and its state associations are brought under the Act, several pending administrative disputes could potentially move away from the Supreme Court and be dealt with by the sports tribunal. Such a framework could reduce the court’s involvement in cricket administration while providing a dedicated statutory mechanism for resolving disputes.
State bodies have been resisting current @BCCI stance of not abiding National Sports Governance act. Now, Supreme Court seems tired of board’s dilly-dallying. They have asked the board with a concrete answer for their resistance. https://t.co/qNB6aaeuDn pic.twitter.com/56BacXJ3DY
— Arani Basu (@AraniBasuTOI) September 9, 2026
However, the BCCI has consistently maintained that it is an autonomous private body rather than a National Sports Federation. The board is registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act and does not receive government funding. Another key issue is whether cricket has been formally notified as a “designated sport” under the NSG Act. The BCCI could rely on this distinction while arguing that the new legislation should not apply to its administration or that of its state affiliates.
There are also differences between the BCCI Constitution and the NSG framework. The BCCI has strict conflict-of-interest provisions, including the “One Post, One Person” principle, while the NSG Act provides greater flexibility in certain areas. This has created uncertainty for some state associations, with the Odisha Cricket Association among those that have delayed its election process while assessing the impact of the new framework.
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Tenure and cooling-off rules could become another major point of contention. Under the BCCI Constitution amended in 2022, an administrator can serve two consecutive terms, or six years, at the state level before moving to the national level. After two consecutive terms at the BCCI level, a three-year cooling-off period applies.
The NSG Act allows up to three consecutive terms, with a maximum of 12 years across executive positions before a cooling-off period becomes mandatory. The Supreme Court will now consider whether the BCCI and its state associations should retain their existing constitutional framework or come under the statutory sports governance system.
