A handful of past and present BCCI officials and members feel that N. Srinivasan would eventually relinquish his post as president. They believe that the Supreme Court might go to the extent of appointing an interim administrator to run the affairs of the BCCI, in particular to probe the IPL corruption charges.
Immediate reactions after the observations by the Supreme Court based on the Mudgal Committee findings on Tuesday morning from at least two BCCI vice-presidents — Ravi Savant and Shivlal Yadav — were in tune with the Supreme Court’s advice that Srinivasan steps down before its readiness to hear the case.
By late evening though, they were a little guarded, suggesting that the “call to quit’’ has to be taken by Srinivasan himself. The writing on the wall is clear for Srinivasan and sources told The Hindu that efforts were underway to initiate the process of finding an interim President up to September.
BCCI’s new election rules will come into effect in September 2014 when the principal office-bearers and vice-presidents elected at AGMs from 2014 shall hold the office for a period of three years. Clause 15 (v) of BCCI’s Rules and Regulations will apply should the inevitable — Srinivasan leaving the scene — happen.
The particular clause reads: “ln case of vacancy occurring in the office of President by reason of death or by him being adjudged insolvent or by him being convicted in a criminal case by a competent Court or by resignation or otherwise, the Hony. Secretary shall within 15 days convene a Special General Body Meeting to elect the President who shall be nominated by at least one full member from the zone which proposed the name of the President whose term was cut short prematurely. Such person who is so elected shall hold office till the next elections.”
The operative part of the above clause “to elect the President who shall be nominated by at least one full member from the zone which proposed the name of the President whose term was cut short prematurely,” indicates that a South Zone member [which proposed Srinivasan in September 2013 for a third year term] may have the right to nominate an eligible candidate from any zone, but a few BCCI officials clarified that old election rules apply for the year 2013-14 and hence the interim President can be only from South Zone.
