BCCI has to fall in line, says apex court
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court said on Monday that the Justice RM Lodha Committee’s recommendations to reform the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) were not superficial and that the body will have to “fall in line” with it. It stressed on the need to retire the old members to pave way for the new ones who could take charge of the game.
“Once BCCI is reformed it will go down the line and all cricket associations will have to reform itself if they want to associate with it. The committee constituted in the wake of match-fixing and spot-fixing allegations was a serious exercise and not futile exercise,” a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur said.
The recommendations were made after the committee held extensive deliberations with the stakeholders. “It will no longer remain just recommendations if we say it has to be implemented. It was called recommendations as some of the findings of the committee were implemented by BCCI during the deliberations itself and some were not implemented,” the bench said when Haryana Cricket Association’s counsel objected to the Lodha panel report.
The advocate said the suggestion will not be workable for cricket bodies to implement. But the bench disagreed with his contention that the cap on age is not feasible. It said BCCI officebearers should not think that they are indispensable.
“Nobody is indispensable, leave alone the cricket administrators. There should be time when you have to say enough is enough and pave way for others to take charge,” the court said.
The bench said if required, the law will be amended to include Justice Lodha panel’s suggestion to include a member of the CAG in the board.
Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, appearing for Railways Sports Promotion Board and Services Sports Control Board opposed the Lodha panel’s recommendation to downgrade them to associate members of the BCCI and taking away their voting rights.
THE ADVOCATE SAID THE SUGGESTION WILL NOT BE WORKABLE FOR CRICKET BODIES. BUT THE BENCH DISAGREED WITH HIS CONTENTION