Explained: How BCCI Escaped RTI Scrutiny After Crucial Amendment To Sports Governance Bill

In a major relief for the Indian cricket governing body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received a major reprieve from the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The Sports Ministry revised a key provision of the National Sports Governance Bill placing only those bodies which relied on government grants and assistance. The BCCI has been opposing the bill as the Board is not dependent on government funds

🟥 ब्रेकिंग न्यूज़: BCCI को RTI से मिली राहत

RTI से बाहर रहेगा BCCI, खेल मंत्रालय का बड़ा फैसला!

➡️ राष्ट्रीय खेल प्रशासन विधेयक में संशोधन
➡️ RTI के दायरे में अब नहीं आएगा BCCI
➡️ BCCI को सरकारी अनुदान नहीं मिलने को बताया गया कारण
➡️ अन्य खेल महासंघ भी RTI के दायरे से बाहर,… pic.twitter.com/0ONKsY5fBi

— भारत समाचार | Bharat Samachar (@bstvlive) August 7, 2025

How did BBCCI manage to escape RTI bill?

Clause 15(2) of the initial draft had raised alarms among autonomous bodies like the BCCI, which could have faced broader public transparency obligations. However, after facing considerable resistance, the government revised the contentious clause to limit RTI coverage only to those sports entities that “rely on government funds or assistance.”

A souce speaking to The New Indian Express said, “The amended clause defines public authority as an entity relying on government funds or assistance. Without this clarity, the bill could have faced legal challenges. Even if a sports body doesn’t take direct funding, it can still come under RTI if it receives government assistance, such as infrastructure or logistical support,”

Why was the bill introduced?

The bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on July 23, originally sought to bring all recognised sports organisations under RTI, regardless of whether they received government funding.

Had the bill become an act, the BCCI would have to register itself as an NSF, given that cricket has become an Olympic sport, which is set for a debut in the 2028 Games in the T20 format.

The bill has the provision for a National Sports Board (NSB) to create a stringent system of accountability and all NSFs will have to attain NSB's recognition for access to central government funding.

By refining the definition of a public authority, the government has now drawn a clearer line between state-supported sports institutions and those operating independently