CoA queries on audit report amid changes in constitution make state units anxious  

It is widely believed that associations like Hyderabad, Delhi, Goa, J and K and Assam are among those with problems in the balance sheet.

CHENNAI: Amid discontent over the court-appointed administrative committee's (CoA) decision to exclude some big names from a list of voting members, state associations got busy going through an audit report that has caused curiosity.

In November 2015, the BCCI had commissioned audit firm Deloitte India to prepare a report on how state associations use their funds. Even though it was submitted around last June, the findings had not been circulated among members. On Monday, the CoA sent letters to the state bodies with parts of the Deloitte report concerning them, and sought replies within 10 days.

CoA chief Vinod Rai
CoA chief Vinod Rai


It is widely believed that associations like Hyderabad, Delhi, Goa, J&K and Assam are among those with problems in the balance sheet.

Because the auditors dealt with state associations separately, each got different sets of questions based on what the report said of them. Feedback from members Express spoke to ranged from queries on additional amounts spent during special occasions to price of land to build stadium. Some were offered advise on how to function better.


But this coming a day after the CoA released a BCCI constitution without Mumbai, Saurashtra, Baroda and Vidarbha as voting members, associations were wondering if there is a correlation between the two, as in whether the CoA can say it revised the constitution because members didn't adhere to financial norms.

“Even though the audit report is for BCCI's internal use, you never know what such things might lead to these days. With the CoA bent on finding flaws with us and incidents of mismanagement of funds in Delhi and Goa, these can be put together as examples of mismanagement,” said an association head.

Another association chief said one or two examples shouldn't be treated as an accurate index in a house of 30. “Most of the associations have nothing to hide in financial statements. So the Deloitte  report can't generalise and say BCCI members misuse funds. It has given certain suggestions on better functioning.”

Over the last 10 years, BCCI member units have received average annual grants of close to `25 crore each. Depending on the volume of cricket conducted and the number of staff employed, annual expenditures for these associations vary from `5 crore to `20 crore.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com

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