MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday inducted veteran administrator Niranjan Shah into the seven-member Special Committee to chart a roadmap for implementing the Supreme Court-directed reforms.
It may be noted that the Supreme Court order has barred individuals above 70 years of age and/or have served more than nine years as an office-bearer either in a State association or the BCCI to continue as an office-bearer.
Shah, a constant in Saurashtra Cricket Association and BCCI for well over four decades, is debarred on both counts. Still, the BCCI hierarchy has included Shah, perhaps to strike a balance of power.
Shah, a former BCCI secretary, has also been one of the vocal critics of the proposed reforms, especially the eligibility criteria and the one-State-one-vote clause.
However, on Wednesday, he played it safe when asked about his role in the Special Committee.
“I shall try and help the other members out with my experience and suggest means on what best we can do with regard to the Supreme Court order implementation,” Shah told The Hindu , adding that he was always supposed to be in the committee.
The Hindu understands that after Monday's SGM, the N. Srinivasan-Anurag Thakur faction had suggested a list, which included the Shah, Arun Thakur (HP), G. Ranga Raju (Andhra) and Ranjib Biswal (Odisha). However, most of them were surprised to see the inclusion of Sourav Ganguly and Rajeev Shukla, with the latter appointed chairman.
“The acting secretary (Amitabh Choudhary) is arbitrarily taking such calls. Anyway, the committee in itself is going to end up as nothing but an eyewash,” said a member of the committee, preferring anonymity.
The committee has been asked to suggest the future course of action by July 10. If the committee confirms that it can suggest a plan of action before the next Apex court hearing on July 14, the BCCI will have to convene another general body meeting before that date.
