“Getting off the Mark” and “ End of the Innings”, were the two catchphrases Justice Lodha used while writing the Reforms in Cricket Report four years ago. The report was presented to the Supreme Court in July 2015 and exactly a year later — July 18, 2016 — the Supreme Court validated it.
The Lodha Panel set timelines to implement the Supreme Court order, but the BCCI and its members defied them. In January 2017, the Supreme Court, at the behest of Justice Lodha, created the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to implement the reforms process.
The CoA (Vinod Rai, Diana Edulji and Lt. Gen (Retd) Ravi Thodge) ended its 33-month tenure on Wednesday.
After completing the formalities, Rai said: “We are totally satisfied because we are leaving the BCCI behind with five former players in administration in the Apex Council and IPL Governing Council. The BCCI administration could not have been better than this because we have a president who is one of our most successful captains.”
The CoA felt it was able to bring almost all members in the framework of the BCCI Constitution.
Certainly though, the CoA has enabled the BCCI to function through its professional managers and a large group from the NorthEast, Bihar, Puducherry and Uttarakhand take part in the Ranji Trophy. It has also made the Players Association a reality.
Recently in an interview to this paper, Justice Lodha pointed out how the reforms stood diluted in spirit as well as through modifications by the Court and misinterpretation by people.
The BCCI is celebrating its return to power. It has reason to because it has been able to get a number of relaxations from the principal judgment.
The CoA on its part went after the State Associations to bring their Constitution in line with the BCCI’s; but anomalies still exist, and fingers are being pointed at the CoA for being prejudiced. Out of 38 full members, CoA ruled all but Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Maharashtra, compliant of the BCCI Constitution.
The CoA itself did not fully agree with the conflict of issue aspect; it wants the Supreme Court to look at its suggestions. The ethics officer is yet to pronounce his verdict on Rahul Dravid.
The CoA found the road to implementation full of obstacles; that they found a way out to most fall in line has to be commended. That kith and kin have dominated the State elections has not been the CoA’s problem, least of all.
“As for as COA is concerned, we are agnostic about family and other things. Our job was to implement the constitution. We got the election done as per the constition. All the issues of the constitution have been taken care of.”
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