Indiantelevision.com Team

(26 February 2008 5:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition that had been filed by Percept Talent Management (PTM) against cricketer Yuvraj Singh.

Yuvraj had decided to not renew his deal with Percept after the current contract expired.

The court said that PTM cannot restrain the all-rounder from signing contract with another company which wants to rope him for advertisement.

"How can you violate the fundamental right granted under Article 19(1)(g). It is freedom of occupation. You (Percept) had contract for three years. After that he is a free man and you have no right to ask about other offers," a Bench comprising Justices H K Sema and Markandey said.

PTM had filed an appeal against the Bombay High Court judgment which had allowed the cricketer to move out of this company after the term of agreement was over.

Media reports state that the cricketer was promised a minimum of Rs 15 million and assured another Rs 10 million once he was made vice-captain of the team. The agreement was valid till 11 December, 2007.

In the two months after that, Yuvraj was under obligation to revert to the company with any other offer so that it could match the amount, Percept claimed. But Yuvraj did not give it the first-refusal option in the two-month window and instead signed a contract with another company.