CHENNAI: Elections and dates of interviews for the chief coach’s post are among the matters likely to be discussed at a meeting of the committee of administrators (CoA) in Mumbai on Tuesday. About eight of the 34 state associations are yet to comply fully to the reform orders and the CoA is sticking to its deadline of September 14, by which time all the affiliated units have to hold elections and submit names of representatives to attend the BCCI annual general meeting on October 22.
But it looks unlikely that the units yet to fulfil the mandatory clause of appointing electoral officers will be able to meet the other deadline. The CoA had on May 21 issued a directive asking the states to finalise their electoral college and protocol under the guidance of the electoral officer by August 14. The units of Mumbai, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh are among those not in a position to do this by that date.
“The CoA will most likely wait till September 14 and see if that deadline is met,” said an official following developments. “There is an August deadline as well, but considering the circumstances and the fact that elections in the state bodies by September 14 is what finally matters, they are probably looking more at that.”
This suggests there would be no penalty for the units that fail to finalise their electoral details on time. They may only get a reminder that failure to get everything in place by September 14 would make them ineligible to take part in the BCCI electoral process. “Disobedient associations will not be treated on a par with others. Their cricketing activities may not be affected, but they won’t have voting rights.”
There have already been murmurs in some of the units that September 14 is too early. A few are even of the opinion that the CoA has set unrealistic dates. If the body comprising Vinod Rai, Diana Edulji and Ravindra Thodge relaxes the August 14 time frame, it may lead to calls to push back the September date as well. The process will get stalled if that happens.
In person, on Skype
As far as the appointment of coach is concerned, short-listed aspirants would appear in interviews in person at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai and over Skype. It’s unlikely to take place before August 16. Whether interviews would be held over one day or two will depend on the number of candidates. As of now, Ravi Shastri is tipped to be retained by the Cricket Advisory Committee of Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy.
There are unconfirmed reports that the CoA will also discuss the anti-doping issue. There are talks that following the decision to become NADA-compliant, the administrators might make this part of the constitutional framework of the BCCI.