Still “grappling" with the Indian Premier League scam case, the Indian Supreme Court deferred on Wednesday the Board of Control for Cricket in India president's election until the end of January “even as the cricket board opposed constitution of an external high-powered committee to propose punishment on the Mudgal Committee findings,” according to the PTI. A bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur also posed questions like “should the actions of Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra lead to cancellation” of the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals teams. The Bench observed, "We are still in the process of hearing which will take some time to conclude." This came at the end of "yet another day-long hearing" directing postponement of the BCCI's Dec. 17 Annual General Meeting for office bearers' election until Jan. 31 (PTI, 12/10). NDTV SPORTS reported the BCCI expressed reservations about the Supreme Court appointed high-powered committee, “insisting its autonomy would be at stake.” The committee could take a call on the punishment for those who breached the IPL code of conduct. The committee that could include retired judges will also look into N. Srinivasan's role in the "alleged betting and spot-fixing scam" in IPL 6 and “if the role of the two requires punishment and the quantum.” The court had said “maintaining ‘purity’ of cricket was of utmost importance” to it and hinted at setting up a high-powered committee to suggest measures for “cleansing the game and ascertain if there was conflict of interest” involving Srinivasan (NDTV SPORTS, 12/10).
