New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has come down heavily on Prasar Bharati for overpayment of Rs 3.39 crore to BCCI for telecast rights of 12 one-day international matches in 2005. The CAG report said the excess payment was made due to "negligence" in calculating how much money the cricket board owed as per the agreement reached between the two parties.
The report said as per the terms of agreement of November 30, 2005 between Prasar Bharati and the BCCI for telecast of 12 one-day international matches in October-November that year, Prasar Bharati was to pay to BCCI Rs 7.50 crore, service tax and agency commission for each match. Seven matches were to be played between India and Sri Lanka and five between India and South Africa.
The agreement further provided that in case a match was not played for the full duration of any day, the consideration for that day would be calculated in proportion of the number of hours played. One of the 12 scheduled matches did not take place.
"Audit of the time sheets for the remaining 11 matches maintained by Prasar Bharati disclosed that three matches between India and Sri Lanka and two between India and South Africa were held for less than the full duration of seven hours," the report said.
It went on to add that despite this, "Prasar Bharati did not reduce the payment on pro-rata (proportionate) basis with reference to the reduced time during which the matches were actually played."
