England series on line after BCCI misses SC deadline
STANDOFF Continued refusal to accept Lodha reforms could hit the series starting November 9
NEW DELHI: The India-England Test series could be in jeopardy after the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday missed a Supreme Court deadline for accepting the Lodha committee reforms.
The court had on October 21 directed the BCCI president to submit an “unqualified undertaking” saying the sports body was accepting the reforms in full.
The reforms aimed at infusing transparency in the BCCI included age and tenure caps and a one-state-one-unit policy, among others. The two-week deadline to accept these expired on Thursday.
Well-placed sources in the Lodha committee told Hindustan Times the BCCI’s continued defiance could affect the five-Test series. The first match is scheduled in Rajkot from November 9.
On Thursday, the Lodha committee sent an email to the BCCI saying: “To avoid any hindrance to the cricketing calendar and to ensure the continued enjoyment of the sport by its aficionados, the BCCI would be well advised to comply with the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its orders dated 18th July 2016, 7th October 2016 and 21st October 2016.”
‘SUBMIT DELOITTE REPORTS’
The committee has asked the BCCI to furnish reports submitted by international audit and consultancy firm, Deloitte, on how state associations have used Board funds.
The court has stopped the Board from releasing grants to state units till they accept the Lodha reforms in full.
The BCCI now has five days to provide the Deloitte reports. The Board had hired the services of the company to bring transparency in its financial matters.
The Deloitte reports could hurt the BCCI. Apparently, the auditors are not happy with the way funds have been handled by state units. Some of these regional bodies even provided hand-written accounts.
On October 28, the BCCI wrote to the Lodha committee to release funds to state associations like Orissa, Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir and Assam to run their routine affairs and to host domestic matches.
The Lodha committee is unlikely to relent till the BCCI and its units fall in line.