Cricket reforms

The board’s position was that members would be deprived of voting rights that they have been entitled to for decades and that the cooling-off clause would affect continuity in administration.

The court observed that it could reconsider the Lodha committee’s recommendation on each state having just one vote, and that there need not be a cooling off period if a BCCI office bearer wants to contest a different post.

“What is the need of cooling off period when a person is not contesting for the same post?” asked chief justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra.

“The Lodha panel suggestion was that there should be a cooling off period between two consecutive terms for an office-bearer. After a tenure in a particular post of BCCI, the office-bearer may contest for some other post. There is no need for a cooling off period in between,” observed justice DY Chandrachud.

Expectedly, BCCI officials welcomed the court’s comments. “The Honourable judges heard our plea and made observations which has filled us with positivity,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary told PTI.

Asked to comment on the Supreme Court agreeing to modify the key ‘one state, one vote’ and ‘cooling-off period’ clauses, former justice Lodha said it would render the whole exercise ineffective.

“I have been very clear that these suggestions, which have the seal of the court, are the heart and lungs of the reforms. If they are in any way modified, the very efficacy of the reforms would be lost.”

The bench said it would ratify the new BCCI constitution with necessary changes, directing that state units wait for its order before holding any fresh polls. The elections of the Delhi and District Cricket Association were held under a court officer earlier this week.

BCCI officials also opposed the Lodha committee recommendation that bars ministers and those over 70 years of age from holding office in cricket administration.