CHENNAI: Just a few months ago, the BCCI was dead against the National Sports Code and the eventual National Sports Development Bill (which is yet to be introduced in the parliament). Forced to accept Lodha recommendation by the Supreme Court on January 2, the BCCI is now open to the Bill, going by senior BCCI officials.
The officials think that once implemented, the Bill will automatically over-ride the Lodha recommendations and help some office-bearers to continue in office. For example, the Sports Code allows a National Sports Federation secretary two terms of four years each and then to get elected as president for three terms of four years (with or without cooling-off period). In BCCI's case under Lodha reforms, one can be president or secretary for three terms of three years.
However, if legal experts are to be believed, this will not restore BCCI's autonomy completely. In fact, like all NSFs, they will come under RTI, have to sign up with the Niti Aayog portal (to get grants and subsidies), will come under Prevention of Corruption Act as well. Above all, if the petitioner (in this case Cricket Association of Bihar) feels some recommendations have not been incorporated in the Bill, he can approach the court.
The scenario arose out of Attorney General Mukul Rohtagi's plea, asking the apex court to give them some time as the Central Government is formulating the new Bill which will give more autonomy to sports bodies. However, the reality is far from it, as the Bill calls for more transparency and accountability than providing more autonomy.
Nonetheless, the BCCI now sees more reasons to accept the Bill and indications are that influential figures in the Central Government are pushing to introduce it as soon as possible. As per the Bill, the tenure of office-bearers will increase from nine years to 20 (eight years for secretary and treasurer and 12 years as president across three terms). This will be a significant gain for many BCCI administrators, who have been thrown out by the Supreme Court for holding positions for more than nine years.
The Sports Ministry has already constituted a committee which is looking at introducing a Sports Code across federations. However, indications are that this Code might not touch any of the recommendations made by the Lodha committee. Also, it is unlikely that the Bill will be introduced any time soon as the committee believes it will at least take more than two weeks to table the report.
venkatakrishna@newindianexpress.com