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BCCI unanimously rejects recommendations of Lodha panel

The Board, barring N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah, went even beyond its brief and unanimously rejected each and every reform that Justice Lodha suggested.

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The Indian cricket board got together on Wednesday in the name of Special General Meeting (SGM) to disagree on practically all the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee.

The suggestions by the committee were were accepted by Supreme Court on July 18, 2016.

Knowing well how SC's special bench — comprising of Justice Dipak Misra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud — categorically asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) while delivering the orders on July 24 that "Board needs to implement the entire SC orders of July 18, 2016 as far as it is practical".

The Board, barring N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah, went even beyond its brief and unanimously rejected each and every reform that Justice Lodha suggested.

The entire house agreed on the legal advise it got from senior SC counsels that the Special Bench has agreed to hear the "practical difficulties" on August 18.

So, it was agreed to send back five major points back to SC bench for reconsideration:

1. Matters pertaining to membership, one state one vote, retention of full members, Railways, Services etc.
2. Definition of powers of appointed executives.
3. Size and constitution of apex council.
4. Restriction and disqualification of office-bearers and ministers and government officials, age, tenure and cooling off period.
5. Size of national selection committee.

This means that even issues, such as age cap of 70 and tenure of nine years, which were earlier acceptable to BCCI before July 24 has now been revived to suit Srinivasan and Shah.

BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary though tried to convince the waiting media personnels that "it is up to the Court finally to decide" but even he would know that all his efforts have come to nothing inside the SGM.

Why going back

On the matter of proposed Apex Council, Choudhary explained that "the proposed size of five members, with just one vice-president and members, is smaller in size considering the length and breadth of India".

The BCCI did agree to implement the proposed Apex Council earlier soon after SC appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) took over early this year. Going back on this key issue simply means that "BCCI wants the old system to prevail".

The most controversial U-turn for BCCI has been on the issue of "definition of powers of appointed executives".

Justice Lodha has defined each and every office-bearer's role and powers in his report. This put brakes on the functioning of BCCI key office-bearers and restricted their powers when it comes to dealing in financial matters.

"Implementing the Justice Lodha report meant that we're top officials in Board but without any powers. How can we accept this," a current office-bearer told DNA after the meeting.

When asked if BCCI is not worried about "how SC special bench will react to this particular defiance", the official said, "We're taking a chance. And this is what we've been doing practically for last one year. If we don't fight, we're finished."

The BCCI has also short-listed a panel of names for role of Ombudsman.

Johri asked to go

It has been more than a year since the Supreme Court ordered the BCCI to implement the reforms recommended by the Justice Lodha-led panel. Earlier in the week, the SC ordered that only eligible office-bearers of the state cricket associations should be present in the SGM.

The BCCI on Wednesday went a step ahead and asked CEO Rahul Johri to leave the SGM midway. Along with Johri, the representative of Punjab was also asked to go out as he was not eligible office-bearer.

Johri didn't object to any such demand and left the meeting room along with other BCCI employees. This was after Choudhary checked all the letters of authorisation brought by representatives so that there is no violation of Apex court's order.

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