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BCCI allowed to keep 'Team India' tag as Delhi Court rules against PIL challenge

Akshita Patel

PIL against BCCI dismissed [Source: @BCCI, @bholination/X.com]PIL against BCCI dismissed [Source: @BCCI, @bholination/X.com]

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the use of the name “Team India” for the cricket team run by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The PIL argued that since the BCCI is a private organisation, it has no right to call its team the “Indian National Cricket Team” or use national symbols like the flag. 

Court dismisses PIL that tried to strip BCCI of ‘Team India’ name

The petition, filed by lawyer Reepak Kansal, claimed that when public broadcasters such as Doordarshan and All India Radio project the BCCI team as representing India, it misleads the public into thinking the team has official government recognition. 

The plea also pointed out that the BCCI is registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, and is not recognised as a statutory body or a government authority. 

It is also not listed as a National Sports Federation eligible for government funding. However, the Bench, led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, strongly rejected the PIL, calling it a “sheer wastage of time.” 

The judges questioned the very basis of the plea, asking, “Are you saying that the team does not represent India?” 

BCCI is also allowed to use the national flag

The PIL had cited concerns under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, and the Flag Code of India, 2002, claiming that using the national flag and name for a private entity could harm the sanctity of national symbols and grant undeserved commercial legitimacy to the BCCI. 

The petition also argued that this practice allows a private association to profit in the name of the country.

However, the High Court did not agree. It asked the lawyer to file better PILs in the future and dismissed the matter entirely, effectively allowing the BCCI to continue using the name “Team India” for its cricket team.

This ruling once again confirms the BCCI’s unique status in Indian sports. It’s a private organisation managing the country’s most popular sport while being widely recognised as the national team by fans, media, and broadcasters.