New Delhi, Jan 22: Delhi HC today directed the government and the Reserve Bank of India to ensure that the external flow of foreign exchange was not permitted if India was barred from participating in the cricket World Cup in South Africa. LG Electronics has decided appeal in Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court verdict. The three official sponsors -- Pepsi, Hero Honda and LG -- have also been ordered not to advertise in India during the duration of the World Cup if the team was barred from playing in the competition.

Expanding on the order, the division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Devinder Gupta and Justice B D Ahmed put down three conditions under which their directive would hold good.

First, if the Indian team was barred from participating in the cup, second if certain Indian players were disqualified and finally in case of any action being taken against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The court further stated that the appeal filed by former BCCI president N K P Salve, former skipper Kapil Dev and others seeking for an early resolution of the world cup cricket contract imbroglio will be treated as a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
The views expressed are the prima facie views and will not affect the rights of the parties involved in the case, the court said.


The respondents have been asked to file their replies within two weeks and the next date of hearing is February 18.

The ICC players contract that had caused a ripple in the cricketing world included two clauses -- one that the players have to stick to official sponsors for 30 days before and after the 46-day tourney -- this was reduced to 30 days before and five days after (20 for finalists) after negotiations between the ICC and the BCCI, and second that the official sponsors would use visuals of three players of each team for six months for advertising purposes -- this had also been reduced to three months.
Bureau Report