Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) has moved to Supreme Court of India asking for the release of funds to the state association for hosting the first Test between India and England which starts on November 9. According to the implications of Lodha Committee, BCCI cannot directly provide funds to State Boards and has to get approval from Lodha Committee. Irked by this, the Central Board has now moved to the Apex court for the approval of funds.

“We have other issues also regarding the England series because we have a number of contracts to sign – DRS, caterers, the insurance policy, the insurance to be purchased; a lot of things. As per the Supreme Court order, we can’t enter into a contract without the Lodha Committee’s approval. Now, these are all contracts and the Lodha Committee was told (by the apex court) to appoint an auditor and set a threshold limit, which they haven’t done (yet). So the England series could still be in jeopardy in spite of England having agreed to make arrangements to remit the payments,” Shirke had told The Indian Express.

Earlier, Ajay Shirke, the secretary of BCCI President, said Board is not in a position to bear the bills of England team on the tour. England team, to their credit, is ready to follow the itinerary and are no mood to make a change in that whereas it looks like BCCI is adopting every method to jeopardize the series, with a line of thought that they might get relief from Lodha Committee if a series is deferred.