Relieved at HC decision, welcome Mudgal on board: Chauhan

Relieved by High Court’s direction to MCD for issuance of provisional occupancy certificate required to stage the India-South Africa Test, DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of Justice Mukul Mudgal to oversee the affairs of the final match at Feroz Shah Kotla.

DDCA had got a one-day lifeline by the BCCI on Tuesday after it overshot the original deadline set by the Indian cricket board to get all the neccessary clearances to host the fourth Test. The state government then moved HC with a plea seeking a direction to South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) over issuing a POC.

After the hearing spilled over to Day 2, DDCA finally got a relief from the honourable court and Chauhan thanked the judiciary.

“A major hurdle has been crossed and we have got relief. We also welcome Justice Mudgal to oversee the match and its organising,” Chauhan told a news agency after the day’s hearing.

“He (Mudgal) is a good man, a cricket lover and very reasonable. He is very impartial and we are happy to carry on our duties under his guidance,” the former India cricketer said.

The Rs 24.45 crore entertainment tax slapped by the government on the state body, which seemed to be the bone of contention in hosting the match will be be up for discussion on Thursday and Chauhan is hopeful that everything will fall into place.

“Look, as I said the final hurdle has been crossed and the discussion on entertainment tax will be brought up in on Thursday’s hearing. We are not running away from it but it should be reasonable,” he said.

DDCA was living on hope and prayers after the three-member probe panel set up by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal observed that the state association is indulging in rampant corruption and needs to be suspended. Anti-DDCA voices also gained ground after the government observation but Chauhan said that controversies apart, people were unneccessarily spreading negativity.

“People were jumping unnecessarily. They even tried from the backdoor to enter the match organising committee. But their intentions have been foiled,” said Chauhan. BCCI though had kept Pune as a back-up venue for the final game and are still awaiting the final verdict from the court on DDCA before they finalise the host venue.