Lodha panel takes tough stance on Indian board

Taking a tough stance on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) defiance of its recommendations, the Lodha Committee yesterday said it will file a status report with the Supreme Court, highlight the “impediments” in the implementation of its reform proposals to the Board.

The Supreme Courtappointed panel yesterday held an internal meeting here to discuss the violations, specifically the election of secretary and appointment of a five-member selection committee, by BCCI in its Annual General Meeting on September 21.

“The session was about the developments and the decisions taken by the BCCI in its AGM on September 21. They have decided to send the report to the Supreme Court. If there are any impediments in implementation of the recommendations the committee will submit a status report. We are submitting the status report because the committee finds that there are impediments,” Justice RM Lodha told reporters.

The Lodha panel had recommended a set of sweeping reforms in BCCI, including restricting the tenure of office-bearers, introducing cooling-off period for administrators, cutting down the present five-member selection panel to three and employing the one state one vote policy, among others.

The Lodha panel was formed by the Supreme Court in the wake of the 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting scandal. In its report to the Supreme Court, the panel, headed by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, had suggested several changes in reforming the world’s richest cricket body.