Bombay High Court Urges OCI Cricketers to Seek Indian Citizenship

The Bombay High Court has urged young cricketers holding Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards to consider acquiring Indian citizenship if they wish to represent India, according to a Sportstar report. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Advait Sethna heard petitions from 12 OCI cardholders challenging the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) rule making an Indian passport mandatory for its tournaments.

The petition, filed by OCI cardholder Kavin Kartik, argued that these cricketers, who live and study in India, sought permission only for domestic tournaments, which would also make them eligible for the Indian Premier League (IPL), as stated by petitioners' counsel Kunal Cheema, assisted by advocate Datta Mane. The bench, however, noted India's abundant cricketing talent.

Chief Justice Tripathi explicitly asked, "Why don't you take Indian citizenship? If you are so desperate to represent India, why don't you become an Indian citizen?" He added that players should choose between retaining OCI status and applying for an Indian passport. OCI cardholders had participated in domestic cricket under the BCCI before restrictions were implemented in 2023.

Senior advocate Dr Birendra Saraf, representing the BCCI, submitted that the Citizenship Amendment Act does not permit OCI cardholders to represent India internationally and that petitioners cannot claim cricket as a source of livelihood. The court clarified it was not compelling a change in citizenship, instead asking the BCCI, the Centre, and the petitioners to provide updates on the status of citizenship applications filed by OCI cardholders. The Centre is yet to file an affidavit in the matter, with the next hearing scheduled for November 25.

What to watch: The Centre's affidavit and the court's decision on November 25.

Editor's note: The article accurately captures the court proceedings and the arguments from both the petitioners and the BCCI.