MUMBAI: The application in the pending civil appeal filed by AC Muthiah has been turned down by the Supreme Court, giving a go ahead to N.Srinivasan to assume charge as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president.

A Division bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising Justice Aftab Alam and Justice RM.Lodha cleared the way for N. Srinivasan to take his new role as BCCI President.

 
While allowing Srinivasan to take over as BCCI chief, the bench also made it clear that his appointment would be subject to the final outcome of a petition by former BCCI president A C Muthiah, questioning his eligibility for holding any Board post while owning an IPL team.

Giving details on the same senior advocates Aryama Sundaram and P.S Raman representing the BCCI stated that no interim order is passed on AC Mutthiah‘s plea to request stay on N Srinivasan taking his new role as BCCI president. He is due to take over from Shashank Manohar as president on 19 September 2011.

Representing N.Srinivasan, senior advocate Gopal Subramanium and Hari Shankar.K Advocate said that N.Srinivasan is free to take his new role as the BCCI president.

The apex court passed the order on Muthiah‘s application pleading that Srinivasan should be restrained from taking over the charge of the Board till disposal of his plea against him.

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate is looking into complaints of criminal activities like money laundering against Indian Premier League (IPL), Parliament was informed today.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in the Rajya Sabha in reply to questions that there are certain "irregularities which are being looked into, particularly relating to some complaints received that there are investments, so far as IPL is concerned, from outside."

"Those are being looked into by the Enforcement Directorate because those are the criminal activities like money laundering," Mukherjee said.

He said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which organises the IPL Twenty20 series had enjoyed income tax exemptions till 2006. This registration was lost in 2006 following verdict of the Allahabad High Court. Since then, BCCI is subject to tax.

He said BCCI itself has taken certain action against IPL. Since the BCCI was earlier exempted from income tax, "there was no question for them to show low income," Mukherjee said, adding the authorities have raised the tax demand after the BCCI lost registration under the Madras Registrations Act.

Tax demands were raised for the assessment years 2007-08 and 2008-09 amounting to Rs 1.18 billion and Rs 2.57 billion respectively. As much as Rs 2.49 billion has already been recovered from BCCI, Mukherjee said.

The gross receipts disclosed by BCCI in its tax returns for the assessment years 2007-08 to 2010-11 are Rs 6.52 billion, Rs 10 billion, Rs 13.88 billion and Rs 16.67 billion respectively, Mukherjee said.

The concerned agencies are looking into the "criminal activities and other areas" under relevant laws, he added.

MUMBAI: There is a rush among sporting bodies to follow the Indian Premier League (IPL) way to build their sport. The latest to follow this route is American football even as broadcaster Ten Sports has signed up a multi-year deal for telecast coverage so that the sport makes a mark in India.

The Elite Football League of India (EFLI) is making an entry with its first edition ready to kick off in November 2012 in Pune.

The franchise-based league will initially have eight teams - Mumbai Gladiators, Hyderabad Skykings, Goa Swarm, Pune Blacktigers, Kolkata Vipers, Delhi Defenders, Punjab Warriors and Bhubaneswar Warhawks.

The EFLI is working with the government so that a governing body for the game can be instituted along the shape of India‘s cricket board, the BCCI.
 
EFLI founder Sunday Zeller said, "The launch of EFLI in India is a momentous occasion for us and indeed for the game. American Football is an inherent part of the American way of life. With a history of over 100 years, the game has acquired cult status in US, which can be mapped alongside its history. India is known to assimilate cultures and that, coupled with the immense pool of talent it has, makes it an ideal choice for a concept like EFLI. We are certain that these factors will combine to make India a force to reckon with in this great game of American Football, apart from creating the most lucrative sports league in the country."

Teams will be sold through the auction route like the IPL. There will be 59 games including two play-off games to decide the top teams.

EFLI CEO Richard Whelan said, "India is beyond doubt a great market for the sports and entertainment sectors.

A concept like EFLI presents a huge opportunity and the perfect platform for brands to get visibility and reach out to their potential customers. We felt that India didn‘t have enough games or sport to watch on television and, thus, see a huge potential here. We are training coaches from athletics, volleyball and wrestling and hope to be ready for the first season in time."

The league plans to add eight more teams during the second year and four in each subsequent season until 2022. By then, the league would have 52 teams representing all Indian cities with a population in excess of 1 million. ELFI will share 15 per cent of its revenue with the Sports Authority of India.

The EFLI will invite 600 companies to attend an orientation program to discuss strategy for long-term business affiliation. The league hopes to attract not just corporate backing but also support from the army, city municipalities and political parties. The Super Bowl is the most watched sport on American television.