Overview

• The Supreme Court quashed the Kerala Cricket Association’s 2021 lifetime ban and set aside related High Court and Ombudsman orders
• Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta found that Karunakaran was denied access to key records and faced unjustified interruptions during Ombudsman proceedings
• The court revived his 2019 application for Lodha Committee–based model bye-laws and ordered the Ombudsman to issue a reasoned fresh decision in three months
• Karunakaran had originally sought uniform governance reforms for all District Cricket Associations in Kerala under BCCI-approved recommendations
• The ruling underscores the judiciary’s role in enforcing procedural fairness and oversight over sports administration