Warning there will be no domestic cricket matches if the BCCI and its members do not fall in line with the Lodha committee reforms, the Supreme Court on Thursday threatened to pass an order within 24 hours to stop all BCCI payments to State cricket associations for hosting domestic matches, including Ranji Trophy.
The apex court indicated its intention to direct the reimbursement of Rs. 400 crore disbursed by the BCCI to State cricket associations on September 30 in a Special General Meeting (SGM).
The SGM had happened merely two days after the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R.M. Lodha committee moved the apex court with a plea to replace the current BCCI top brass for causing “impediments” to the panel’s work to usher in transparency in the cricket administration.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur gave an ultimatum to the BCCI to give an undertaking by October 7 to “unconditionally” comply with the reforms of the Justice Lodha Committee upheld by the Supreme Court.
The BCCI, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, responded “it was not possible” for the Board to persuade all the member State associations to fall in line within the next few hours.
'We are all cricketers here'
The cricketing talents of the BCCI bosses also came under the SC scanner. While hearing the Lodha Committee’s plea to replace the top officebearers of the cricket body, the Bench asked whether the officials needed to have any “special skills.”
When BCCI counsel Kapil Sibal said president Anurag Thakur was a “cricketer”, CJI Thakur replied, “We are all cricketers here. I once captained the SC judges team against the Bar.”
