CHENNAI: With all eyes in the BCCI on the Supreme Court for Friday’s hearing, there are different voices. While many are expecting a harsh statement for blocking reforms by ignoring the CoA’s instructions, some are hopeful this won’t happen until previous applications are rejected. There are also a few questioning the CoA’s role, asking why won’t they be pulled up for failing to implement court orders.
Considering the court’s stern stand earlier in this case and the CoA’s fourth status report accusing the state units and former office-bearers N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah of obstructing the process, another stringent verdict would surprise few. The BCCI is likely to file an affidavit saying a special general meeting has been called on July 26 to finalise the board’s stand on accepting the Supreme Court order dated July 18, 2016.
Resigned to fate
“Having missed all deadlines, this affidavit will only be a small token of evidence that we are trying to address the issue. Otherwise, there is nothing to show for progress. The court can say the state units have been given enough time to change their constitution. Now, we have to accept it. It will be fait accompli, where we will have no option but to accept it,” a state unit head told Express on Thursday.
Acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary and representatives of Maharashtra, UP, MP and a few others have spoken in favour of change. But they are not in the majority, which has to be three-fourth in a general body of 30 excluding the suspended Rajasthan Cricket Association. Most of the rest believe waiting till Friday’s hearing on their appeals is a better idea than accepting the order straightaway.
Awaiting verdict
“Many of these appeals are against things that we have been asked to implement. They include objections against age cap of 70, one state one vote, cooling-off period, other than clarifications on role of former office-bearers. The order doesn’t say they can’t attend meetings, but the CoA says so. The court hasn’t rejected these appeals and given a date for hearing. What’s wrong in waiting till that? How worse will it get,” said the chief of another state body, among around 15 who have filed similar pleas.
Although a minority, there is another school of thought that questions the role of the CoA. Their argument is, given that former BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke was removed from the post for telling the court that state bodies are refusing to accept its order, what would happen to the CoA, which is saying the same.
Questioning CoA’s role
“You can point out differences and say that the CoA is a body appointed by the court. But in effect, its status report saying that the BCCI units have said no to changes amounts to exactly what Shirke told the court. If he can be removed, what action will the court take against the CoA?” said a BCCI member.
Unless the matter is adjourned, answers should be there by Friday.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com