Fall in line or we will make you, SC cautions BCCI

itself” nor “the lord”. Thakur also called for an explanation by October 6 on all instances of non-compliance reported by the Lodha panel. Justice Thakur heads the special bench that has passed a string of directives in the past to usher in reforms in the cricketing body after the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal broke out.

“Does the BCCI think it can violate court orders and get away? BCCI thinks it is a law unto itself. But we know how to get our orders implemented. BCCI thinks it is the lord... You (BCCI) better fall in line or we will make you fall in line. The conduct of the BCCI is in poor taste,” said the CJI after the panel’s status report on implementation of reforms by the Board was presented to him.

In its report, the panel sought removal of BCCI’S top brass, including its president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke, for violation of court orders. The panel sought replacement of the current management with a set of administrators who would “ensure the smooth transition from the old to the new system recommended by the committee”.

Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the panel, complained that the BCCI officials sought to stall reforms at every stage and were trying to undermine the authority of the court as well as panel members by issuing controversial statements. Apprising the CJI that the panel was kept in the dark about the meetings and decision taken therein, the counsel report’ on time

FAILS

to issue Lodha’s directives to member associations

STATEMENTS

by BCCI president Anurag Thakur, board’s head of legal panel Justice Markandey Katju out of order, constitute contempt

NO EFFORT

to rectify defects in review petition