CHENNAI: It has been a month since the deadline expired for the state units under BCCI to submit a certificate of compliance. By September 20, they had to write to the Committee of Administrators (CoA), saying that they have updated their constitution as per the Supreme Court orders on Lodha commission recommendations.
While CoA is understood to be conducting the process of scrutinising documents, the silence of the court-appointed panel is making associations uneasy. They have not received any communication on whether the papers they have submitted are satisfactory or when elections will be held. After the July 18 Supreme Court order, elections were expected in October. As of now, nobody knows when that will happen.
Expecting the impasse to end, the state units are not amused by the situation. “We were looking forward to a solution. But now everything seems to be in limbo. Decisions are taken on a need-to-do basis. There’s no policy being laid down. Persons connected with the game are not involved with decision making. We have to think of asking CoA what’s happening if this goes on,” said Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) president Anand Jaiswal. VCA was the first association to restructure its constitution as per court orders.
Attempts to reach CoA chief Vinod Rai and member Diana Edulji were futile. With BCCI CEO Rahul Johri on leave after being asked to explain a harassment allegation, they have their hands full at the moment. The domestic season is on in full swing. Apart from matters related to the constitution, they have of other things to handle.
Since the states associations are not eligible for BCCI grants as long as their revised constitutions are not approved by CoA, some of them have started asking authorities for funds. “We hosted the Duleep Trophy and 45 Vijay Hazare Trophy matches and didn’t say no to anything. We need funds and have written to CEO Johri to release a sum of `10 crore. But we have not got any reply yet,” said Tamil Nadu Cricket Association secretary RI Palani.
Kerala Cricket Association too had approached CoA with a similar request earlier this month, after having borrowed `5 crore from a bank. Officials have apparently been assured that funds will be given to run cricket-related affairs.
However, more than the shortage of money, it’s the silence on elections that’s bugging associations. “After the July 18 order, we thought the BCCI annual general meeting would be held and normalcy would return. Given that nothing has been said about that, we have no choice but to wait even if it brings our day-to-day activities to a standstill,” said another association head.
Mishandling of the issue of Puducherry fielding ineligible players in the Hazare Trophy, reluctance to react to allegations of conflict of interest against BCCI logistics manager Mayank Parikh, there were several grievances against CoA. Taking time to rule on compliance is an addition to that list.
atreyo@newindianexpress.com