DDCA row: Delhi HC adjourns hearing till tomorrow

The Delhi High Court has adjourned the hearing in a case pertaining to Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), which is seeking clearances for hosting the fourth Test between India and South Africa at Feroz Shah Kotla, till tomorrow.

DDCA has moved to the court for interim relief as the South Delhi Municipal Cooperation (SDMC) had yesterday rejected their application for a no-objection certificate to hold the last Test of the four-match series.

Reflecting on the postponing of the hearing, BCCI's honorary secretary Anurag Thakur said that the cricket board will take the final call after tomorrow's hearing.

"Since the matter is part heard and it will be heard tomorrow again at 2 p.m. So we will meet tomorrow evening and then BCCI can take the final call after that," Thakur said in an exclusive interview to ANI.

Following the hearing, DDCA lawyer Sunil Mittal said, "This issue of completion certificate is pending since 2008. Not only MCD but other departments are also involved in it. There is no clarity which is why completion is pending. The issue of property tax is also sub judice in High Court. We had always put application at court for every international match or IPL and the court had always provided with the provisional certificate. MCD's lawyer had never raised the issue."

Mittal added that the permission of Delhi Urban commission related to entertainment tax is in process.

The DDCA came under scrutiny after former cricketer and BJP MP Kirti Azad had raised the issue of financial irregularities within the association.

On a complaint filed by former cricketer Bishen Singh Bedi and other cricketers, the Delhi Government had ordered a probe into the issue.

The state's association has also been looking for clearance from the government to host the final Test of the four-match series between India and South Africa at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, starting from December 3.

Delhi could lose the chance of hosting the fourth Test if it fails to pay entertainment tax of Rs. 24 crores.