SC notice to BCCI on e-auction of IPL's media rights

  New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the BCCI on BJP leader Subramanian Swamy's plea to seek an e-auction of the media rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for more transparency. A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra sought a response from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) within two weeks and posted the matter for August 24. The auction process for IPL media rights is scheduled to begin on August 17. The rights would be in force for five years. Swamy said the apex court has earlier held that e-auction is the best method for awarding contracts. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader said since an amount of Rs 30,000 crore was involved in the award of IPL media rights, the issue should not be decided in an opaque manner. "There is a requirement of non-discriminatory and transparent method, (in line) with the best international practices, to be adopted for distribution of valuable media rights so as to ensure maximum revenue in the larger national interest," he pleaded. "The commercial interests and huge money is involved, amounting to Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore, in the valuable rights associated with the game of cricket in India, which makes it mandatory to have a robust, completely transparent auction method to maximise revenue and prevent vested interest from making undue gains," Swamy added.