BCCI's RTI Shield: Not a Public Authority, Rules CIC

The Central Information Commission has ruled that the BCCI is not a public authority under the Right to Information Act. The decision reverses a 2018 order and emphasizes that the BCCI operates independently without government control, thus not subject to RTI queries despite its public functions.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) has determined that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not subject to the Right to Information Act, overturning a previous ruling from 2018. This decision absolves the BCCI from the obligation to respond to RTI queries.

Information Commissioner P R Ramesh emphasized that the BCCI, although it performs significant public functions like cricket administration, is neither owned nor substantially financed by the government, thus disqualifying it as a public authority under Section 2(h) of the RTI Act.

The decision comes after the Madras High Court asked the CIC to re-evaluate the case following the Supreme Court's observations in the BCCI vs Cricket Association of Bihar case. The verdict highlights the BCCI's autonomy in management and financing, rooted in private sector operations rather than government influence.