High Court clears way for the 4th Test match between India and South Africa at Delhi

Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium of New Delhi

The Delhi High Court divisional bench has cleared the way for the 4th Test match between India and South Africa to be played at Feroz Shah Kotla from December 3 to 7, ESPNcricinfo reports.

Justice BR Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva have directed the Delhi government’s Excise Department to issue a No Objection Certificate to Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) thus breaking a week-long deadlock.

The court also came down harshly on DDCA telling them this was the last time that the court will bail them out and instructed them to wrap the affairs by 31st march 2016. Concerned were raised about Delhi being able to host the 4th Test after a three-member panel of Delhi government inquired into the working of DDCA.

It was then recommended that the Delhi body be rusticated by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and an ad hoc body of professional cricketers should be created in the meantime to watch over.

DDCA approached the court for relief and intermediation to procure the due authorization by various Delhi government agencies such as south Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), Excise Department, fire and safety department, Archaeological Survey of India, Delhi Land and Development Office, and Delhi Urban Arts Commission.

The two-judge divisional bench demanded from DDCA to make a payment of Rs 1 crore to the Excise Department of Delhi government in two instalments of 50 lakhs to be paid in two and four weeks time.

The court has also asked the Delhi government not to take any ‘coercive’ action against DDCA and set the date of November 27 for hearing on the Rs 24.46 crore that the DDCA defaults towards Excise as entertainment tax since 2008.

Ravinder Manchanda, the DDCA treasurer seemed confident about getting grants from BCCI and said: “We have spoken to Anurag Thakur and he has already told us we will be getting the BCCI grant”. However, it is yet to be confirmed by Mr Anurag Thakur or by a press release from BCCI.

The BCCI had asked the DDCA to clarify things by 17th of November and had finalised Pune as the alternate venue for the match if the necessary clearances can not be obtained.

The Delhi High court has appointed former chief justice Mukul Mudgal as the observer for the Test match and empowered him to ensure that DDCA ensures that it has all the clearance required to host the game.