Bombay High Court Upholds ₹538 Cr Arbitral Award Against BCCI in IPL Termination Dispute

The Bombay High Court upheld arbitral awards exceeding ₹538 crores in favour of the defunct IPL team Kochi Tuskers Kerala, rejecting the BCCI’s challenge under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

The Court ruled that it cannot re-evaluate the merits of the arbitrator’s well-reasoned findings, noting no illegality or jurisdictional error.

Kochi Tuskers, which participated in the 2011 season of IPL, was terminated by the BCCI the following year due to an alleged breach of the franchise agreement.

The award included loss of profits and investments, dismissing objections under the Indian Partnership Act. The Court allowed withdrawal of the award amounts and gave BCCI six weeks to appeal.