Lodha panel asks SC to disqualify erring BCCI officials
22 Nov 2016
The Justice R M Lodha Committee has asked the Supreme Court to disqualify all Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) office-bearers who ''fall foul'' of the panel's report.
In a fresh status report filed in the apex court, the panel has asked the court to appoint former union home secretary G K Pillai as observer with power to appoint an auditor and guide the BCCI administration, particularly on the award of contracts and on transparency issues.
Reports said Pillai has agreed to take up that responsibility.
''Direct and declare that all office-bearers of the BCCI and the state associations who are disqualified by virtue of the norms at Para 4 above (minister or government servant, holding a post in any other sports body, who has been a BCCI office-bearer for a cumulative period of nine years or has been charged by a court for criminal offence) cease to hold office forthwith,'' the Lodha panel's status report said.
Pillai should supervise the BCCI administration run by the chief executive. The status report said his role should be confined only to provide ''overall policy and direction, and not the actual administration of the BCCI''.
A senior BCCI official slammed the move.
''It seems the Lodha Committee is working with a closed mind. In our affidavit to the committee, we said the president and secretary are willing to meet the committee. But it hasn't met them.
''The court had also asked them to appoint an auditor and give a threshold (for financial deals) to the BCCI, But it didn't take any action on that.
''The committee itself had suggested that no government official should be in the BCCI . So, on what basis have they selected G K Pillai and what process have they adopted,'' he told Hindustan Times.
The Supreme Court had on 18 July accepted the Lodha panel report and gave it the job of implementing the recommendations. BCCI refused to implement the directives, saying that the state associations are against implementing some of the key recommendations.
The most contentious recommendations are the 'one man, one post', 'one state, one vote' and limiting the age of office-bearers to 70.
The status report could lead to the current set of office-bearers, headed by president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke, being sidelined by the Apex Court.
The BCCI has faced action due to its steadfast opposition to the Lodha panel recommendations. The court had on 18 July accepted the report, giving the panel the responsibility to implement the recommendations. BCCI has refused to implement the directives in full, saying its state associations are opposed to some the key recommendations.
The court had in an interim order on 21 October directed the BCCI and state units to submit affidavits pledging full implementation of the Lodha panel report to be allowed to use its funds. So far, only three regional units have complied with the order.
There had been some doubts over the smooth conduct of the England series due to the fund freeze. However, the court had, following a petition by the BCCI, directed release of funds to the organisers of each match. But the cash-rich body had to postpone the process of selling long-term media rights for the lucrative Indian Premier League season.