It was almost year ago that the Supreme Court validated the Justice Lodha Committee recommendations for reforms in cricket; in fact, July 18, 2017, would mark the completion of the landmark order, but the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) has defied all of it, filing review and curative petitions and its full members filing intervention applications on several counts.
First, the Justice Lodha Committee served timelines, but did not find positive responses from either the BCCI or the State Associations. Then the Supreme Court appointed a four-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to enforce its order, and the outcome has been the same with the BCCI and its members not ready to accept some recommendations, that once complied with, would throw them out of administration for ever.
The apex court order of January 2, 2017 disqualified a big group, but many of them have violated it saying the order applies only to the office- bearers.
Thereafter the CoA held several meetings with the BCCI and State representatives and discussed the way forward on implementing the order. It has scheduled another such meeting on Sunday, a day before the BCCI’s SGM here.
While some members feel that there should not be any discussion on the matter because the Supreme Court is going to resume hearing cases filed by State associations in mid-July — one of which wants the July 18, 2016 order to be recalled — a majority group is ready to implement the Lodha recommendations, but with some clauses altogether removed.
This group will tell the BCCI that it wanted the present full membership and voting rights maintained. It will also express its opposition to the three-year cooling-off period restrictions and also suggest that the selection committee should consist of five members, not three.
“These are the three major points. A few members may object to the age cap of 70 for elected office-bearers and councillors, but that’s not an issue with us,” said a State representative.
