However, it refrained from ordering a new panel of retired judges to go into the charges against India Cements Ltd, owners of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, its former Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of BCCI's President-in-exile N Srinivasan, and Raj Kundra, co-owner of Rajasthan Royals.
It held that forming a new probe commission was the prerogative of the Cricket Board.
"The (probe) Commission was not duly constituted and was contrary to and in violation of the provisions of Rules 2.2 and 3 of Section 6 of the Operational Rules (of BCCI)," said Justices M S Sonak and S F Vajifdar in a 61-page verdict delivered yesterday which may thwart Srinivasan's bid to regain full control of the BCCI.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar and its secretary Aditya Verma challenging the constitution of the two-member commission set up by BCCI and IPL Governing Council after surfacing of the betting and fixing scandal.
The High Court order came just two days after the panel submitted its report on July 28 giving a clean chit to all those against whom the probe was conducted.
Armed with the clean-chit, Srinivasan was expected to reclaim his position in the Cricket Board after stepping aside for the duration of the inquiry.
"In our view the commission has been constituted contrary to the operational rules and it would not entitle the court to constitute a fresh probe commission at least (at) this stage and in this writ petition", the judges observed.
"The constitution of a probe commission under section 6 of the Operational Rules is the prerogative of BCCI. We see no reason to deprive it of the same at this stage and in this petition. BCCI is at liberty to take such steps as it deems in this regard", the Judges said while disposing of the PIL.
The court also rejected Srinivisan's plea for a stay on its order to enable him move a higher court in appeal.
The court said rule 2.2 of the Operational Rules mandated presence of at least one member of the IPL Code of Behaviour Committee on the Commission.
After the then BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale declined to be a part of the panel, Justices T Jayarama Chouta and R Balasubramanian, two former judges of the Madras High Court, were left on the commission.
BCCI had selected five members on the IPL Code of Behavior Committee. BCCI is entitled to nominate additional people to join the commission. It, however, does not entitle BCCI to constitute the commission without any member of the IPL Code of Behavior Committee, noted the Judges.
BCCI counsel Rafiq Dada argued that the Cricket Board was compelled to constitute the commission without any member of the IPL Code of Behavior Committee as no such member was available. He defended constitution of the panel, which was contrary to Rule 2.2, on the doctrine of necessity.
The necessity, Dada submitted, was due to none of the members of the IPL Code of Behavior Committee being available to join the commission. Sanjay Jagdale, Ajay Shirke and Rajiv Shukla were not available.
However, the Judges noted that two others--Ravi Shastri and Arun Jaitely were also on the committee.
"There is no reason furnished as to why they were not appointed on the commission. There is no explanation why BCCI did not appoint them. The Respondent (Cricket Board) did not even ask them to be on the commission", said the bench.
Dada argued that Shastri travels to various destinations as a commentator and hence he was not considered to be member on the panel. However, the court disagreed with his contention, saying travelling to various destinations as a commentator would not disable him from discharging his functions as a member of the commission.
"After all, as mentioned by the lawyers, the commission sat on only one day and closed the enquiry on the same day. There is nothing to indicate that he could not have spared a single day", the judges noted.
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