SC allows Bihar to play Ranji Trophy, other tournaments after

The Supreme Court today gave a ray of hope to cricketers from Bihar, who could not play national- level tournaments for the last 17 years, by allowing the Bihar Cricket Association to participate in Ranji Trophy and other championships this year.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud took note of the fact that Bihar has not been allowed to take part in tournaments such as Ranji Trophy for the last so many years.
"Bihar shall play the cricket," the bench said and clarified that it was passing the order on its own without considering any argument or application.

The direction came after Aditya Varma, the secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), sought hearing on an interim application of the CAB by submitting that Bihar, the third most-populous state, has been treated unfairly and denied the opportunity to play Ranji and other zonal and national-level tournaments.
"As an interim measure, the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) shall be eligible to participate in Ranji Trophy and similar such competitions and the BCA, which has been elected by virtue of the order of this court, shall be in-charge of the same," the bench said.
"This order has been passed keeping in view the cause of cricket," the court said, making it clear that it's order will not create any equity in favour of the BCA.

"You all are individually selfish people," the bench observed during the hearing and said that its order would also not affect the present status of Bihar as an associate member of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

After the formation of Jharkhand in 2000, a dispute arose in the cricket administration of Bihar and two separate cricket associations were formed for the two states.
While the Jharkhand Cricket Association went on to become a permanent member of the BCCI, the BCA first got the affiliation from the apex cricket body and later its membership was cancelled.
Besides the BCA, there are two other cricket associations -- the Association of Bihar Cricket (ABC) and the Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB)-- claiming to be the real representative of the state cricket body.