India, May 18 -- The Central Information Commission (CIC) has ruled that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) cannot be treated as a "public authority" under the RTI Act, bringing clarity to a long-running debate around the cricket board's status. The decision came while dismissing an appeal that sought details about the authority under which BCCI represents India and selects players for national and international tournaments.

Explaining the ruling, the Commission noted that BCCI functions as a private autonomous body registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act and was not created by the Constitution, Parliament, State legislature, or any government notification. Information Commissioner P R Ramesh stated, "The...