CHENNAI: If the Supreme Court approves the BCCI’s proposal to change key rules in its recently-implemented constitution, it will amount to a complete dilution of the reforms, says Gopal Sankaranarayanan. Secretary of the Lodha Commission which framed the rules, Sankaranarayanan is not surprised that the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI has initiated a move to change the very rules that were put in place to ensure transparent and better governance. In fact, they were ruled eligible to hold those posts after accepting that they would abide by these rules.
“However, I will be surprised if the Supreme Court does accept their appeal,” said Sankaranarayanan. “I hope that this does not happen. It should be noted that the reforms were given finality not by one but two judgements. Accepting the BCCI’s proposal to change these now would mean a total dilution of the reform process.”
In the first general body meeting to be held under the new dispensation on December 1, among other things, the BCCI will consider changing the rules regarding cooling-off period and qualification criteria for its representative to the ICC. It proposes that the tenure of BCCI office-bearers should start from the time they assume office and not count the time they might have spent as state unit office-bearers before taking up the BCCI posts.
Going by the book, Ganguly along with secretary Jay Shah and joint-secretary Jayesh George have to go for the cooling-off break of three years around July next year. But if the proposed amendment gets the support of three-fourth of the general body, they can be in office for longer, provided the court decides to approve the change.
“If this is permitted and the Supreme Court does not have a challenge before it or does not take it up suo motu, it will mean making a mockery of the previous judgements. It would mean things are back where they were before the reforms were initiated,” said Sankaranarayanan.