CHENNAI: The matter of changing the BCCI constitution as per Lodha recommendations has started causing consternation. It has been over a month since a draft constitution prepared by the committee of administrators (CoA) has been submitted to the Supreme Court. But the special bench has again deferred the hearing, this time to January next year.
The court has already heard what everybody had to say for and against implementing its previous order, which made Lodha recommendations mandatory. However, even after 11 months of the removal of BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke for failure to follow its order and the appointment of the CoA, practically nothing has happened on the reform front.
Because of this uncertainty and confusion over authority, important matters have been stalled. The BCCI annual general meeting has not been held, it continues to function without elected office-bearers. Issues like hike for domestic players and match officials are pending. Even the state associations are unable to hold AGMs.
“It’s unfortunate that the apex court has still not taken a decision. Considering the importance of matters pending, it should find time to rule on this. The CoA has already crossed the period it was supposed to be in place for. Unless the AGM is held, we can’t calculate and distribute profits from TV rights, and an ombudsman can’t be appointed. The matter keeps getting complicated,” the president of a state association told Express.
Wednesday’s decision to ask the BCCI treasurer to explain his stand following the CFO’s complaint that he was threatened by the former has baffled members. Some wondered what that has to do with the subject of reform and amending constitution, on which verdict keeps getting delayed.
“That (the CFO’s allegation) may have got nothing to do with the whole case, unless it is established that the process of implementing Lodha recommendations is getting stalled because of the threat. The whole thing is getting murkier by the day,” said the head of another state association.
As things stand now, even an order in January would mean at least another month for the AGM, which is conventionally held in September. Given that the Lodha committee had declared the September 2016 AGM null and void, one has to back to March 2015 for the last one. This is unprecedented in BCCI history. But then, aren’t they dealing with an order labelled as historic?
atreyo@newindianexpress.com