Stung by the suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the Indian Premier League, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's top officials are now "working out a contingency plan to ensure that the high-profile league remains an eight-team affair," according to the PTI. The officials have already "started informal discussion on the way forward before the IPL Governing Council meets for an emergency session in Mumbai on Sunday." The BCCI is "keen to ensure that the cash-rich league remains an eight-team tournament" as its contract with the broadcasters -- Multi Screen Media -- envisages a 60-match schedule. A top BCCI official said, "We have started discussions on the way forward. We have studied the Justice Lodha committee report, the Governing Council will discuss all aspects of this verdict and decide the future course of action." The official said that the BCCI could "possibly explore two options to ensure that the IPL remains an eight-team event." The official said, "The BCCI can run the two teams for two years and the original owners can come back after the ban period is over. The other option is to invite fresh bids for two new teams since many corporates have expressed an interest in buying an IPL team" (PTI, 7/15). The HINDUSTAN TIMES reported former Supreme Court Judge Markanday Katju on Wednesday "questioned the Supreme Court's decision to appoint the Lodha Commission to decide punishments to be imposed on people and cricket bodies accused of spot fixing." The supreme court "convened a three-member commission" to "decide on the quantum of punishment." Katju said in various online forums, "The power to impose punishment is with the court. Can the court outsource this judicial power to another body, e.g. a commission appointed by it? If this is legally permissible, then why cannot every judicial function be outsourced? I have grave doubts whether such outsourcing is valid" (HINDUSTAN TIMES, 7/15). In Chennai, G. Viswanath reported former IPL Chair Ranjib Biswal said, "It's a temporary setback for the IPL and for the two franchise teams. They will not be in action for two seasons. But it's a good and balanced verdict given by the supreme-appointed committee" (THE HINDU, 7/15).
