SC Refuses to Hear Plea Against BCCI Calling Team “Indian Cricket Team”

SC Refuses to Hear Plea Against BCCI Calling Team “Indian Cricket Team”

Today, the Supreme Court refuse to hear a plea seeking to stop the BCCI from referring to the national cricket team as the Indian cricket team.

A division bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi criticised the petitioner for filing the plea and said the Delhi High Court should have imposed costs when it dismissed a similar petition earlier.

"You just start sitting at home and draft petitions. What is the problem in all of this ? There is a notification for National sports tribunal also with outstanding members. Don't burden the Court," CJI Kant remarked.

The Court termed the plea frivolous and remarked that the High Court should have imposed heavy costs to discourage such unnecessary cases.

The bench observed that the absence of exemplary costs had emboldened the petitioner to move the Supreme Court. While it considered imposing a ₹10 lakh cost, the court dropped the idea after repeated requests from the counsel. During the hearing, Justice Bagchi also noted that the BCCI has strong public support.

"Issue would have been if union came here but there is exemplary support for them. The pervasive control is statutorily recognised now. The issue is sometimes tail is wagging the dogs since there is money involved," the judge said.

Back in October 2025, the High Court had pulled up the petitioner, advocate Reepak Kansal, for filing the public interest litigation (PIL).
 
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela questioned the plea, asking how a team that represents the country worldwide could be said not to represent India, and why it should not be called Team India.
 
"It is sheer wastage of the court’s time and your own time...''
 
Kansal’s PIL claimed that the BCCI is a private body registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act and is neither a statutory authority nor a “State” under Article 12 of the Constitution. It also cited RTI replies from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports stating that the BCCI is not recognised as a National Sports Federation and does not receive government funding.
 
Despite this, the plea said that government media platforms continue to call the team “Team India” or the “Indian National Team” and display national symbols like the flag during broadcasts.
 
"This practice amounts to misrepresentation and could potentially violate the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 and the Flag Code of India, 2002, which regulate the use of the national name, flag and symbols," the plea stated.
 
The petition argued that public broadcasters misuse the national name and flag, misleading the public and diluting the sanctity of national symbols. Kansal therefore sought an order stopping the BCCI from portraying its team as the national team and directions to Prasar Bharti to stop calling the team “Team India” or the “Indian National Team”.
 
 

 

 

 

 

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