BCCI united on four objections against Lodha Committee recommendations
NEW DELHI: A day before the Supreme Court is expected to pass a verdict on the BCCI constitution, its acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said that 12 of the 37 units have submitted common four-point suggestions to amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium.
On May 1, the three-member bench headed by CJI Deepak Mishra told the units to file their suggestions on clauses they found practically difficult to implement. The office-bearers were also asked for suggestions. Choudhary said the units of Andhra, Assam, Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Railways, Tripura, Universities, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha have submitted suggestions and reached a common ground.
"The four points the units want reconsidered are — one state one vote, cooling-off period, constitution of apex council, distribution of power and functions between elected representatives and professionals," Choudhary said at a media conference.
Express understands five-member selection panel and removing age-cap of 70 for administrators are also on the list of suggestions from some of the states and that apart from the 12 mentioned, other units have also given inputs. It has to be seen how the court reacts to suggestions that the cooling-off and age-cap clauses be scrapped, since Justice Lodha had referred to them as integral parts of their report.
In a status report submitted to the court earlier, the CoA had sought the removal of the acting BCCI president, secretary and treasurer, saying that were blocking reforms. Interestingly, the court has not upheld that. Talking about it, Choudhary said, "Had there been a hindrance on my part, I wouldn't have been able to bring to you written commitment (of implementation of Lodha reforms) of 12 members. Majority will go with this template."
Contrary to perceptions that he did not show enough will to implement the reforms, Choudhary said he had been working with the state associations to reach a common ground. "I made an initiative to get in touch with state associations to work further. As many as 12 full members have come around to that view. Their agreement to the subject is in writing. They have also said in their letter of agreement that the matter may finally be brought to the notice of SC," he said.