Madras HC stays Rs 1,553 crore rent arrears notice on TNCA

Justice K Ravichandrbaabu on admitting the plea moved by the TNCA assailing the demand notice issued by the Mylapore-Triplicane tahsildar on September 11, demanding rental arrears from 2001 for the land on which MA Chidambaram cricket stadium was situated at Chepauk, passed the interim order and posted the matter to November 21 for further hearing.

The TNCA in its plea had contended that authorities have increased the rental demand suddenly by over 20,000 times compared to the rent paid till 2000.

“The association was a non-profit organisation that nurtures talented cricketers and provides world-class facilities for the game with an average annual income of Rs 25 to 30 crore and expenditure of Rs 22 to 23 crore. The sum of total income generated by it through sponsorships, sale of tickets for matches and share of media rights in the last 86 years of its existence would not come remotely close to the amount demanded by the tahsildar,” the TNCA said.