‘We pay ₹3,000 crore in tax every year’: BCCI’s big disclosure at AGM

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday (18th September) disclosed that it pays roughly ₹3,000 crore in income tax every year, a figure shared during its 95th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the revelation was welcomed by members and clarified that the board does not have blanket tax exemptions.

Speaking to reporters after the AGM at the BCCI headquarters inside Wankhede Stadium, Saikia said: “We are paying taxes amounting to ₹3,000 crore on an average annually. This was read out at the AGM and there was a big round of applause from the members.”

He added that the tax figure was first presented to the board’s own membership before being made public, underscoring the scale of Indian cricket’s commercial revenues from broadcasting, sponsorships and other partnerships.

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The disclosure comes days after the Supreme Court questioned why the BCCI should remain outside the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, which brings national sports federations under greater central oversight. Saikia clarified that the BCCI is not resisting the law but noted that cricket has not yet been formally notified as a “designated sport” under the Act.

“Whenever that notification comes, we will immediately spring into action. We will then do our work as per the new sports rules,” Saikia said, adding that the board’s stance on the Sports Act is “very clear”. He also highlighted that, unlike most other sporting bodies that receive government grants, the BCCI does not take central funding and instead contributes heavily through taxes.

On the legal front, Saikia said the board will respond to the Supreme Court’s queries in due course. “We will give the clarification on October 27, when the matter will be listed next time,” he told reporters after the AGM.

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Umpire pay hike, promotion–relegation system

The AGM also approved higher fees for umpires and match referees and introduced a four-grade system (A, B, C, D) with merit-based assessments for all assignments, including knockouts. “At the end of every season, there will be a system like relegation and upgradation… Ten umpires will go up, 10 umpires will go down,” Saikia said, adding the move will keep officials “very alert throughout the season” and ultimately benefit the game.