MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court came down on the State Government for not recovering dues of Rs 77.9 million from cricket?s richest body, the Board for Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The money is for providing police security for Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in 2010 and 2011.

A division bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice A.P. Bhangale was hearing a public interest litigation stating that the BCCI owed over Rs 50 million to the state for the security it had provided for the IPL matches in Navi Mumbai?s DY Patil stadium.

"We fail to understand why the issue has remained unresolved for such a long time. If the board had sent requisition for security, it would be primarily responsible to pay the amount as demanded, as per the extant regulations and norms by the State authorities," the division bench noted.

Assistant government pleader VS Gokhale said that demand notices have been issued to BCCI but they had not paid. The BCCI, though, maintains that the stadium owner and the concerned IPL franchise are supposed to pay the charges.

The matter will be next heard on 13 March.