BCCI Slammed With ₹539 Crore Payment To Kochi Tuskers Kerala

On June 18, 2025, the Bombay High Court upheld the 2015 arbitration decision by ordering the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay Kochi Tuskers Kerala a staggering ₹539 crore.

History of the Battle

Franchise Termination (2011): In September 2011, the contract of Kochi Tuskers Kerala (KTK), one of the two IPL expansion franchises in 2011, was canceled. KTK's owners denied the BCCI's claim that there had been a breach since a required bank guarantee had not been submitted.

2015 Appeal Verdict: A panel of judges decided that BCCI's dismissal was unlawful. The verdict showed that Rendezvous Sports World (RSW) would receive ₹153.3 crore and Kochi Cricket Pvt Ltd (KCPL) would receive ₹385.5 crore.

The decision of the High Court

Justice Riyaz I. Chagla highlighted the Arbitration Act's Section 34's confined judicial reach, stressing that judges can only deny arbitration verdicts for certain reasons and cannot reconsider their merits. He said that the award should not be withdrawn since the BCCI disagreed with the panel's judgment.

The tribunal's award was then confirmed by the court, which ordered immediate payment and gave BCCI six weeks to appeal.