© AFP
The BCCI’s partial acceptance of the Lodha Committee recommendations has diluted the essence of the changes the panel had sought to bring in, Justice RM Lodha has said.
Comparing the BCCI’s opposition to key reforms to the removal of vital human organs, Lodha, who headed the three-member panel that suggested the changes, said the board was once again showing a lack of intent, a year after the Supreme Court had directed it to implement the recommendations.
“I am shocked to see that the BCCI has rejected all the major reforms again,” Lodha told the Times of India. “The heart, kidney, lungs are being taken out of these reforms. It’s a comprehensive report prepared by the committee and by removing the vital organs, nothing remains in the suggested reforms. I don’t know what is happening.”
Lodha was reacting to the BCCI’s resolution, at its special general meeting on Wednesday, to accept all but five of the recommendations put forth by the panel, citing difficulty in implementation. These recommendations were: membership status, which includes the one-state-one-vote reform; disqualification of office bearers, ministers and government officials based on eligibility criteria such as the age cap; tenure and cooling-off period; the strength of the Apex Council – which replaces the existing working committee – and the division of powers between the office bearers and the professional management; and strength of the national selection committee.
The BCCI shortlisted the recommendations it was opposed to after the Supreme Court indicated earlier this month that it was open to revisiting a few proposals. The court directed the BCCI to implement as many recommendations as “as far as practicable”. Lodha, however, questioned the prolonged deliberations, pointing to the board’s previous review petitions that had already been dismissed.
“What is the point in deliberating when the verdict is already given by the Supreme Court?” Lodha said. “I don’t understand where is the possibility of changing the recommendations when all the review petitions have been rejected.
“If the BCCI rejects reforms like the powers of the executives and the size of the Apex Council, it means the BCCI is not interested in implementing the reforms at all. I am sure the honourable Supreme Court will take a look at it very soon.”
In an order in July 2016, the Supreme Court had given the BCCI six months to implement the Lodha Committee recommendations. The BCCI continued its opposition to the major reforms, which led to the court appointing a Committee of Administrators, tasked with ensuring implementation of reforms. The CoA had then advised the BCCI’s member units – the state associations – to narrow down their objections to a few recommendations while implementing the rest of the reforms.
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo