<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48145545.cms" />Former Indian cricket team captain <keyword id="6359039" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sourav-Ganguly">Sourav Ganguly</keyword> would be studying <keyword id="2857170" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Justice-RM-Lodha-committee">Justice RM Lodha committee</keyword>’s IPL order as he was named in the BCCI's four-member working group formed to study the recommendations. 
 
Former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha-led committee suspended Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings for two years and banned Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra for life from cricket-related activities. 
 
On Monday, Ganguly was named one of the four members of the committee, which will be chaired by IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla and have BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur and Treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhary as the other members. BCCI's legal adviser U N Banerjee will assist the panel. 
 
"The committee will have six weeks' time to study the Lodha committee report and will give its recommendations after talking to all the stakeholders. The committee will also consult the legal experts before coming up with recommendations since we do not want any legal complications later on," Shukla told PTI. 
 
Ganguly is also a member of the IPL Governing Council. 
 
Meanwhile, the panel’s job is only to find the way forward so that preparations for IPL 9 can begin. 
 
"We still have some time for IPL 9, so we should not take any hasty decision. We will follow the procedure and come to a consensus on all the matters relating to IPL," Shukla told the news agency. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

IPL: Sourav Ganguly to study Justice Lodha committee’s verdict with three others

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/49723677.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /><keyword id="45963" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Srinivasan">Srinivasan</keyword> was today removed as the ICC Chairman following a decision by the <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword> to nominate its recently-elected President Shashank Manohar as the chief of the world body. 
 
The decision to remove Srinivasan was taken at the BCCI's 86th Annual General Meeting today, virtually signalling the end of his hold on Indian cricket. 
 
The tenure of Srinivasan, who took over in June last year, was to end next year in the same month and the remainder of the term would be completed by Manohar as it is India's turn to hold the top position. 
 
It is learnt that the resolution favouring replacing Srinivasan with Manohar was passed at the AGM. In case, Manohar cannot attend the ICC meetings, Sharad Pawar will be India's representative. 
 The Tamil Nadu strongman will thus lose his grip on Indian cricket for good after having already been ousted as the BCCI President owing to the 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal in which his son-in-law <keyword id="1682587" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gurunath-Meiyappan">Gurunath Meiyappan</keyword> was held guilty of betting charges. 
 Although Srinivasan was not personally indicted for the damaging scandal but the Supreme Court-appointed <keyword id="902780" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="RM-Lodha">RM Lodha</keyword> committee had chided him for not acting on the elements which corrupted the IPL. 
 With his sacking as ICC chairman, Srinivasan now only remains the president of <keyword id="424567" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tamil-Nadu-Cricket-Association">Tamil Nadu Cricket Association</keyword>. His company India Cements had owned the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, which was suspended for two years after its officials were held guilty of betting. 
 
(Image credit: BCCL)

N Srinivasan removed as ICC chairman

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/42361117.cms" /> The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> has refused to allow any further hearing in the <keyword id="1189975" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="coal-blocks-allocation">coal blocks allocation</keyword> scam. The companies which were allocated coal blocks had moved a petition in the Supreme Court and asked for a re-hearing in the case. 
 
The companies pleaded that it cancellation would lead to breakdown of power generation and suffering for the rural population, who are already facing a power crisis. 
 A bench headed by Chief Justice <keyword id="902780" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="RM-Lodha">RM Lodha</keyword> refused to entertain the pleas of power-generating companies that there should be a re-hearing in case the court cancels the allocations. 
 
The Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the fate of 218 coal blocks allocated after 1993, which it had declared “illegal and arbitrary.” The Centre has asked the court to set up a committee to look into each allocation.

Coalgate: Apex Court Declines To Hear Plea For Re-hearing

<ul><li>The former Finance Minister of India succumbed to sustained illness today (August 24).</li><li>For a politician who never won an election, Jaitley remained largely relevant and influential throughout his career spanning decades.</li><li>Jaitley famously backed Narendra Modi in his early days and even when the party's leadership denounced the latter, he stoody by Modi.</li><li>In a world where friendships are forged with secrets and power, Jaitley was everyone’s confidante, philosopher, and guide. </li></ul>India’s former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley passed away after sustained illness at the age of 66 after an impressive political career spanning decades when he never won an election but was always relevant and maintained his deep influence in Indian politics. Jaitley, along with the former Foreign Minister, the late Sushma Swaraj -- <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sushma-swaraj-indias-former-foreign-minister-passes-away-at-the-age-of-67/articleshow/70561044.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">who passed away earlier this month</a>-- were instrumental in keeping the Bharatiya Janata Party relevant, as an opposition party, in the ten years preceding 2014 when Narendra Modi swept to power as India's Prime Minister. Modi himself owes a lot to Jaitley for his rise to political prominence in India. Not just Modi, even the BJP's harshest critics found it way easier to deal or negotiate with Jaitley. A very apt example of Jaitley's realpolitik, his ability in the <a href="https://www.livemint.com/Politics/1JEYCQDdw88BvxjCIHATxK/Reforms-are-the-art-of-the-possible-Arun-Jaitley.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">'art of the possible'</a>, is the rollout of the complicated Goods and Services Tax (GST) in 2017, through the GST Council-- which Jaitley led until May 2019-- where Jaitley had to convince state governments with conflicting interests to find a common ground. It is not possible to be a successful politician or a lawyer without making a few enemies. But the smooth-talking Arun Jaitley, who studied at St Xavier's and Shri Ram College of Commerce, wore both these hats causing little or no animosity around him. Paradoxically, Jaitley was also sharp-tongued and temperamental by nature but he dictated his mood and not the other way around. When the Supreme Court struck down an Act which intended to break the age-old collegium system of appointing higher judiciary, Jaitley was quick to call it the “tyranny of the unelected”, something he knew it will be thrown back at him for his electoral failures. Jaitley remained an nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, from 2000 to 2018 as he never won an election. The Former Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha, did taunt him in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD2GNu556aA" data-type="tilCustomLink">a televised national debate in 2015</a>. But Jaitley was prepared and he knew how to direct the debate in the direction he wanted. That was his skill, the ability to know the strengths and weaknesses, not just of himself but of his rivals too, like few else can. Watch the riveting debate between Arun Jaitley and Former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha over the National Judicial Appointments Commission in 2015. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="tD2GNu556aA" title="NJAC Debate with Arnab Goswami | Legislature Vs Judiciary | Arun Jaitley Vs Justice R M Lodha - Full" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tD2GNu556aA/mqdefault.jpg"></div>













































 Jaitley could see the future and he placed his bets, and made friends, accordingly right from the days as a student politician, to when he became a lawyer and later, the member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Jaitley was Vajpayee’s man who stood by Modi Years before Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister and was barely a politician of any significance, Jaitley became his friend. Modi was living out his exile from Gujarat politics in 1995 at the BJP party headquarters in Delhi, when he met Jaitley--who was then called ‘Vajpayee’s man’. Jaitley had lobbied for <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ties-that-bind/291379">Modi and turned </a>instrumental in making him the chief minister and later the country's Prime Minister. And his ability to network was so slick that even when he chose sides, he made no foes. For one, he chose Modi over LK Advani as the Prime Ministerial candidate in 2013, and yet remained close to the latter. Years later, everyone came to know Jaitley as Modi’s man. The current Prime Minister had so much confidence in Jaitley that during the first five years of the Modi government, Arun Jaitley held the portfolios of Finance, Corporate Affairs, Defence, and Information and Broadcasting-- and at times he was in multiple important portfolios simultaneously. A <a href="https://caravanmagazine.in/sports/rajat-sharma-the-ddca-and-the-perks-of-a-close-friendship-with-arun-jaitley" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">similar friendship forged with Rajat Sharma</a>, the founding editor of India TV, one of India's most influential television channels, lasted Jaitley's lifetime. Sharma reportedly used to drive Jaitley around the Delhi University on his scooter while the latter was campaigning as a student politician in the 1970s. Jaitley represented both Coke and Pepsi as a lawyer against each other at different times He could have even written the famous book ‘How to make friends and influence enemies?’ if Dale Carnegie wouldn’t have beaten him to it. Jaitley had represented two of the world’s most bitter rivals—<a href="https://www.sify.com/news/how-everybody-loves-arun-jaitley-news-columns-pmwpk3ebbdfjd.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Coca Cola and Pepsi as a lawyer</a>. He was Coca Cola’s lawyer for a case against Pepsi and vice versa. Though many would have rolled their eyes at this feat, for him it was a small game. Jaitley's frienship with rivals Sonia Gandhi and P Chidambaram In the <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ties-that-bind/291379" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">long list of unlikely friends</a> is Sonia Gandhi, the head of the rival Congress party, and former Finance Minister, and a lawyer turned politician just like him, P Chidambaram. Jaitley seemed to have gotten through his life keeping all his friends along with a successful career. But many of his friendships were tested, in court as well as Parliament. In 2012, Jaitley was a part of the Opposition party, and he was chosen to question and grill P Chidambaram, the home minister of the ruling Congress party about <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/about/what-is-aircel-maxis-case" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the Aircel-Maxis deal</a>. Chidambaram started answering the question by saying that <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/aircel-maxis-deal-probe-will-test-friendship-between-chidambaram-and-jaitley-116030300275_1.html">he was happy that </a>“a friend of 22 years has questioned him.” Though later through the session, Chidambaram turned emotional and “felt as if someone plunged a dagger into him.” Their friendship withstood the barbs, the scams, as the Congress politician continued to attend Jaitley’s annual lunch parties which also doubled as his <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ties-that-bind/291379">birthday </a>celebration. Jaitley's rivalry with Subramanian Swamy and Ram Jethmalani Two of Jaitley’s most vicious critics are country’s top lawyers Ram Jethmalani and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. Both have <a href="https://www.pgurus.com/mr-arun-jaitley-hope-you-have-learnt-your-lesson-for-treating-sonia-family-with-kid-gloves-you-owe-answers-in-mallya-exit/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">passed vitriolic comments</a> against Jaitley and they both had old beefs to settle. Jaitley was once the legal assistant to Jethmalani. Yet, the camaraderie did not last long. Jaitley is known to <a href="http://www.indialegallive.com/commercial-news/controversy-news/battle-legal-eagles-21529">have influenced Vajpayee </a>to push Jethmalani from his position as the law minister unceremoniously. The fire-breathing lawyer had never forgiven Jaitley nor forgotten the slight, and had used every excuse to criticise him. He also went back to court as Delhi chief minister Arun Kejriwal’s lawyer in a libel case, just for the pleasure of cross-examining his old adversary. But Jaitley was not a man to be easily undone either and kept his cool, passing the bitter examination with flying colours. Jaitley was also not undone even as Swamy questioned his every move. This rivalry too started when he found a legal loophole to deny the payment of his dues over a case he argued. Ever since, <a href="https://theprint.in/politics/subramanian-swamys-rivalry-with-arun-jaitley-goes-back-to-1993-iit-delhi-salary-row/219800/">he accused Jaitley </a>of being a Congress insider, instigator or a coup and much more. When Jaitley did try to clamp him over discipline, Swamy retorted, “People giving me unasked for advice of discipline and restraint don’t realise that if I disregard discipline there would be a bloodbath.” Jaitley wisely never rose to the bait, like a seasoned solider who picks his battles. Jaitley may be no more but the way he deftly maneuvered India's labyrinth political space will provide lessons in the art of the possible. In a world where friendships are forged with secrets and power, Jaitley was everyone’s confidante, philosopher, and guide. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sushma-swaraj-indias-former-foreign-minister-passes-away-at-the-age-of-67/articleshow/70561044.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">India's 'supermom' Sushma Swaraj, the lady who redefined the country's Foreign Ministry, is no more</a>

Arun Jaitley, every big man's friend, passes away at the age of 66-- leaving behind lessons in the 'art of the possible'

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48067389.cms" /> 
 The Supreme Court appointed high-level committee led by former Chief Justice RM Lodha on Tuesday found <keyword id="13886" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chennai-Super-Kings">Chennai Super Kings</keyword> official <keyword id="1682587" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gurunath-Meiyappan">Gurunath Meiyappan</keyword> guilty of betting during <keyword id="6354831" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League">Indian Premier League</keyword> season 6. 
 Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Lodha said Meiyappan was found guilty of betting, whereas co-owner of <keyword id="13802" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajasthan-Royals">Rajasthan Royals</keyword>, <keyword id="18641" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Raj-Kundra">Raj Kundra</keyword>, was found guilty of misconduct. 
 
Both the teams, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), have been banned from the IPL for two years. 
 
While addressing mediapersons in New Delhi, Justice Lodha said that Meiyappan was an integral part of CSK and should not have indulged in corrupt practices. 
 
“He is found guilty of betting, his conduct affected the image of the BCCI, the league and the game,” said Justice Lodha. 
 
Meiyappan, son-in-law of former BCCI President N Srinivasan, has been banned for life from involvement in any type of cricket matches. 
 
Justice Lodha said that Kundra acted against contrary of the spirit of the game. 
 
“Mr Raj Kundra was placing bets through a known punter, was constantly in touch with bookies. Kundra didn't have true love for the game. He acted contrary to the spirit of the game. Kundra is declared ineligible in cricket participation for five years and suspended for life in any type of cricket matches,” said Justice Lodha. 
 
The committee also pulled up India Cements, owners of CSK, for not acting against Meiyappan. 
 
“The purity of the game has been affected by the actions of India Cements and CSK. Fans have been cheated. CSK or India Cements took no action against Meiyappan,” said the former CJI. 
 
The Supreme Court in January this year had held that betting allegations against Meiyappan and Kundra were proved. However, the apex court had dropped all charges against Srinivasan, as none of the allegations were proven against him. 
 
Meanwhile, the verdict was hailed by Jharkhand Cricket Association’s Subodhkant Sahay who termed it as a good and unprejudiced judgement. 
 
Bihar Cricket Association’s secretary Aditya Verma, who is the petitioner in the case, said justice had triumphed in the case. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

IPL Verdict: CSK, Rajasthan Royals banned for 2 years; Meiyappan, Kundra banned for life

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/49442182.cms" style="width: 800px; height: 600px;" /> Mobile company <keyword id="215177" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Vivo">Vivo</keyword> today replaced <keyword id="54572" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="PepsiCo">PepsiCo</keyword> as the title sponsor of the high-profile Indian Premier League, a change necessitated by the beverage giant's sudden pullout from a five-year deal that was to end in 2017. 
 "The <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> title sponsorship right has been assigned to M/S Vivo mobiles. Vivo is to give the Bank Guarantee in next ten days," the <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword> said in a statement announcing decisions taken at its all-powerful working committee meeting. 
 
PepsiCo's decision to end its deal with IPL was reportedly caused by the spot-fixing scandal which shook the game in 2013. 
 
Although the company did not come on record to specify the reasons but it was reported that PepsiCo felt the spot- fixing scandal had brought the IPL in disrepute. 
 
In the 2013 season of the IPL, Ankeet Chavan, Ajit Chandila and S Sreesanth were arrested over charges of spot- fixing. This was followed by allegations that Chennai Super Kings team principle Gurunath Meiyappan, and Raj Kundra, co- owner of Rajasthan Royals, were involved in betting. 
 
The BCCI banned the three cricketers for life and the Supreme Court appointed the Justice Mudgal committee to investigate the scandal. 
 
The Supreme Court appointed the Justice RM Lodha panel and the quantum of punishment was decided, with CSK and Rajasthan Royals banned from the tournament for two years. Meiyappan and Kundra, on the other hand, were banned for life. 
 Among other decisions taken at today's meeting, <keyword id="69300" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="nike">Nike</keyword> was retained as the apparel sponsor of the Indian cricket team. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Vivo replaces PepsiCo as title sponsor of the Indian Premier League

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48713371.cms" /> <keyword id="6354756" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="BCCI">BCCI</keyword>’s crucial Working Committee meeting was adjourned by President Jagmohan Dalmiya after witnessing high drama over the presence of its former chief N Srinivasan. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Working Committee meeting was adjourned sine die after deciding to seek the opinion of the Hon'ble Supreme Court whether Mr. <keyword id="151653" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="N-Srinivasan">N. Srinivasan</keyword> could attend the meetings of the BCCI as the authorised representative of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association," BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur said in a brief statement. The working committee was to discuss the report of the four-member working group on the roadmap for conducting the <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> in the wake of the two-year suspension of two franchises -- Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals -- by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha committee. 

	The meeting was postponed as the members argued over the presence of Srinivasan, who was earlier barred by the Supreme Court from contesting the BCCI President's post following the IPL spot-fixing scandal. 
 

	In his defence, Srinivasan, who attended the meeting as President of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, placed Justice Sri Krishna's opinion which said he was entitled to attend the meeting, an official who attended the meeting said. 
 

	But some BCCI members countered that argument and claimed that the Supreme Court had made it clear that he should stay away from BCCI meetings. 
 

	"Since there was no clarity on the legal status of Mr Srinivsan, President adjourned the meeting after the BCCI legal adviser Ushanath Banerjee also said that he was not sure about Srinivasan's legal standing as of now," the official said. 
 

	The official said that Srinivasan was specifically told not to attend the meeting and among those who tried to dissuade him were IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla and BCCI Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary. However, the Chennai strongman did not give in and attended the meeting. 
 

	Srinivasan tried explaining his stance to the BCCI members by insisting that there was no conflict of interest in his position as an administrator and as owner of Indian Cements -- the company which owned CSK. 
 

	The BCCI, it is learnt, has decided to call an emergency working committee meeting in the first week of September to finalise the date of its Annual General Meeting, which is likely to be held in Kolkata on September 27. 
 

	Today, the working committee was to discuss the Justice Lodha Committee report and the subsequent recommendations of the Working Group. 
 

	The meeting was also set to deliberate on the the Madras High Court order directing the BCCI, India Cements and others involved to submit their counter affidavits to the petition which has been filed by CSK Ltd. 
 

	The High Court has directed the parties to file their written submissions within a certain time period and the next hearing has been scheduled for September 23. 
 

	The two-time champions CSK had moved the Madras HC challenging the suspension. The first bench of the High Court had found the petition maintainable and issued notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India. 
 

	Other key points on the agenda were the NCA committee recommendations on whether to keep the apex academy in Bangalore, discuss affiliation status of Chattisgarh, Bihar and Manipur and the technical committee recommendation among others. 
 

	Appointment of India's next coach was not on the agenda but the working committee was to ask the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman to finalise the name. 
 Yesterday, the IPL Governing Council had recommended Having two news teams for the next two editions of <keyword id="6354831" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League">Indian Premier League</keyword> in place of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. 
	 
	(Image credits: Indiatimes)

Srinivasan's presence creates high drama at BCCI meeting

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/39356385.cms" /> Buyers of the twin towers at Noida's <keyword id="255705" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Emerald-Court">Emerald Court</keyword> finally had a sigh of relief after months of anxiety. Holding that flat owners cannot be forced to wait indefinitely due to litigation, a bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha ordered the builder to refund the money to buyers. 
"We had been asking for a refund and there were several rounds of interaction with the builder. We don't know the final implication of this order and who all shall benefit from it, but for those of us who wanted our money back, this is a boon," said Sudeep Manchanda, one of the group of buyers seeking a refund. 
 "The Supreme Court order is being welcomed by most of us who strategised this initiative to get our funds back. For a group of us, we wanted to get our money back so that we could get a reprieve from the double payments of monthly instalments and rents. So while <keyword id="6400590" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Supertech">Supertech</keyword> was always ready to pay back the buyers in spirit, this order has only brought finality," said KK Mittal, another buyer who had sought a refund. 
 
Responding to the Supreme Court directive, RK Arora, chairman and managing director of Supertech, said, "We will comply with the orders of the honourable Supreme Court to return the money to all those allottees who exercised their option for refund by April 30." 
 
He also added, "We had sought options from allottees whether to get refund of their money or to get alternative flats in other projects, to be exercised up to April 30. Accordingly, the options received up to that date shall be disposed off as per the orders of the Supreme Court."

Noida Twin Towers: Apex Court Asks Builder To Refund Money To Buyers

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48070620.cms" /> The Supreme Court appointed high-level committee led by former Chief Justice RM Lodha on Tuesday found <keyword id="13886" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai-Super-Kings">Chennai Super Kings</keyword> official <keyword id="1682587" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gurunath-Meiyappan">Gurunath Meiyappan</keyword> guilty of betting during <keyword id="6354831" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League">Indian Premier League</keyword> season 6. 
 
Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Lodha said Meiyappan was found guilty of betting, whereas co-owner of <keyword id="13802" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajasthan-Royals">Rajasthan Royals</keyword>, <keyword id="18641" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Raj-Kundra">Raj Kundra</keyword>, was found guilty of misconduct. 
 
Both the teams, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), have been banned from the <keyword id="6354312" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> for two years. 
 
It comes as a big decision because both CSK and RR are the top performing teams in the league and have won the tournament in past. Apart from the two team franchisees being banned from the tournament, the decision also affects all the stakeholders of the game including players, media, brands and sentiments of their loyal fans. Besides, the overall image of IPL as a tournament is also put under scanner. 
 
Sponsors? 
 
A large sum of money has been invested behind these teams, as brands have locked them in for sponsorships and media deals, for promotions across mediums. 
 
In 2015 alone, Rajasthan Royals grabbed 15 brand associations, of which three new brands came on board. It had had similar amount of brand associations during the last season. The new brands for Rajasthan Royals include Spice Mobiles, Kalasalingham University from Chennai and security firm CP Plus. Apart from this the team has 9 previous sponsors such as UltraTech, Rupa, Lawman Pg3, Mitashi, TCS, Kingfisher, Pepsi, Deakin University, ICE X and Kooh. 
 
On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings has been associated with brands such as India Cements, Aircel, Gulf Oil, Pepsi, Reebok and Usha. In 2015, FreeCharge and ShopClues.com also joined the brand wagon. 
 
Now, with the teams being taken off for a couple of years, what lies ahead for the brands? Saurabh Uboweja, CEO, Brands of Desire points out that the brands associated with the teams are at a lesser risk. "Sponsors will not be affected much and neither their equity will be diluted to a large extent as they have not done anything wrong. They have other options to endorse and will definitely go for other teams. While India Cements, that owns CSK, will be affected, but that too not in a large extent," adds Uboweja. 
 
To this, <keyword id="175362" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Harish-Bijoor">Harish Bijoor</keyword>, CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults finds that brands will be not be affected much. "It will be a short term loss for sponsors as their money to buy media will be affected, but not their brand equity. If not CSK or RR, they will be endorsing with someone else," adds Bijoor. 
 
A Tainted League? 
 
IPL is seen as the super bowl of India where brands partner with the teams to reach out to their target audience as the event cuts across the socio-economic categories. It is not the first time when the cases of corruption have come up in IPL. In past, players have been banned and teams have always been under scanner affecting IPL's image, so much so that in 2013, there were speculations that title sponsors Pepsi might walk out on the country's most lucrative sporting event. 
 
Now, as controversy strikes IPL back, how is the league going to maintain its equity? 
 
Bijoor finds that the decision will not affect IPL's equity as the tournament has been used to it. "IPL and controversy are no strangers. It all started with <keyword id="3257" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lalit-Modi">Lalit Modi</keyword>, and has just paused at CSK and RR. The game and the tournament will not be affected," asserts Bijoor. 
 
Uboweja mentions that the decision is a bigger loss for IPL. "If instead some smaller teams would have been suspended, people would not have bothered but now they will again think IPL as tainted as it has completely lost its credibility," adds Uboweja. 
 
For the record, Indian Premier League viewership grew by 20% over the 2014 edition. The reach of the tournament also increased by 2% with first 45 matches having reached 182 million unique viewers this year.

IPL Verdict: Do Tainted Franchisees Belittle their Brand Partners and the League?

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/48263179.cms" /> Former Indian captain <keyword id="6359039" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sourav-Ganguly">Sourav Ganguly</keyword> told reporters that players of the two banned IPL teams of <keyword id="13802" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajasthan-Royals">Rajasthan Royals</keyword> and <keyword id="13886" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chennai-Super-Kings">Chennai Super Kings</keyword> shouldn’t be chastised for the faults of their respective owners. 
 
A member of the BCCI’s four-member working group that’ll study the Justice R.M. Lodha committee’s order, Sourav maintained, “I don’t want to jump the gun, there’s a Board to take care of that. The role of the working group is to find out a way to get the next IPL going. But innocent players shouldn’t suffer. It’s common sense, really. You cannot punish X for Y’s faults. How and where they play, how they are distributed among teams is for the Board to decide.” 
 The special BCCI group will give its recommendations within six weeks. It’ll also chart a roadmap for IPL 9, which needs a minimum of eight teams. When asked if IPL’s tainted pacer <keyword id="6529653" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sreesanth">Sreesanth</keyword> could be allowed to play again Ganguly said, “Well, he has been cleared by a Delhi court, but the BCCI has said that its decision, based on disciplinary action, will remain unaltered. Since the BCCI gives all the players an opportunity to come back and play, I think there should be a meeting between Sreesanth and the BCCI." 
 
"As far as Sreesanth's comeback is concerned, I believe that the Kerala Cricket Association has supported him and has requested the BCCI to help him. That's the way it should be”, he said. 
 
Sourav also gave rise to conjectures of a possible comeback of players convicted in the match-fixing scandal, "I think it will take a few months' time since there is a scope of going to a higher court. I don't know what Delhi police is going to do. But I feel if the BCCI, maybe in a few months' time, is convinced that everything is clear and fine, they will let the players play. We have to wait for some more time." 
 
Dada also confirmed that the BCCI has extended the Conflict of Interest clause to more than just the owners, “Everyone associated with Indian cricket would be under it. That includes the administration and the players.” 
 
When asked if India-Pakistan matches should continue after the heinous attack on Gurdaspur, Sourav thought otherwise, "An India-Pakistan series is always entertaining and a high profile one, but we cannot ignore the sufferings of the people of Gurdaspur. I think the Board was correct in saying that the terror attacks and threats would have to completely go before bilateral cricket ties can be resumed." 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

Sourav
Ganguly says IPL players not to suffer for owner’s faults

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/43339502.cms" />NEW DELHI: The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> on Wednesday cancelled 214 <keyword id="6356966" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Coal">coal</keyword> block allocations, giving the owners six months time to wind up their work. 
 A bench, headed by <keyword id="42759" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chief-Justice">Chief Justice</keyword> RM Lodha, saved only four blocks — one belonging to <keyword id="45179" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="NTPC">NTPC</keyword> and SAIL each and two allocated to Sasan ultra mega power projects — from being cancelled.
 The bench, also comprising justices Madan B Lokur and <keyword id="108280" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Kurian-Joseph">Kurian Joseph</keyword>, granted six months breathing time to mining companies to wind up their operations in the coal blocks.
The saved four coal mines' allottes will pay government an additional levy of Rs 295 per tonne of coal extraction. 
 
The top court said it has given six months breathing time to functioning plants to arrange for coal from other sources. 
 
SC said government’s stand that it was prepared for cancellation of allocation as logical consequence of the court’s judgment declaring all allocations illegal and arbitrary helped it in arriving at a decision quickly on fate of coal blocks. 
 
READ ALSO: <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Coal-blocks-allocation-Centre-tells-Supreme-Court-something-went-wrong/articleshow/28590200.cms">Coal scam — Centre admits something went wrong</a> 
 
The bench also directed the companies, which were allocated coal blocks but had not operationalized them, to pay a compensation to the government for the loss of exchequer. It accepted the findings of the CAG which came to the conclusion that the loss of Rs 295 per tonne was caused due to the non-operation of the mines. 
 
The apex court had on August 25 held that all coal blocks allocation since 1993 by various regimes at the Centre have been made illegally and arbitrarily. 
 
During an earlier hearing in the case, the UPA govt had opposed cancellation of coal blocks allocation saying that around Rs 2 lakh crore had been invested by various companies after blocks were alloted to them. 
 
<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/43339455.cms" /> 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
	
		SC has given Govt 6 months to cancel the 214 coal allocations: Mukul Rohatgi, AG <a href="http://t.co/6Sdko2dhtl">pic.twitter.com/6Sdko2dhtl</a>
	— ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/514700054729211905">September 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
	
		 
		We welcome SC's judgement,today our stand has been vindicated : Sambit Patra,BJP on SC's verdict on coal blocks <a href="http://t.co/9aqLNk8okr">pic.twitter.com/9aqLNk8okr</a>
	— ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/514704955798605824">September 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
 
(With inputs from PTI)

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