NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed for listing of the plea preferred by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI) seeking to amend its Constitution with regards to the tenure of its Secretary Jay Shah and President Sourav Ganguly before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud.
Considering that the other two judges who had shared the bench with Justice Chandrachud that had approved the draft Constitution of BCCI in 2018, the bench led by CJI NV Ramana found it fit to refer the matter to a bench led by Justice Chandrachud.
SC bench comprising the then CJI Dipak Mishra, Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice DY Chandrachud in 2018 after accepting the recommendations made by Justice RM Lodha led Committee had approved the draft Constitution of BCCI. The Court had said that the term for all office bearers in BCCI and state associations would be three years and there would be a cooling off period for three years after an individual holding the post of an office bearer for two consecutive terms either in state association or in the BCCI or a combination of both. Directions were also issued that a person would hold the position for an office bearer in any state Association regardless of the post, for a period in excess of nine years in the aggregate. Bench had asked the parties to not make any amendment without the court's leave.
BCCI by incorporating the principles laid down by Justice RM Lodha led Committee had drawn up its Constitution wherein they had included the provision pertaining to cooling off.
In the proposed amendment, BCCI has sought for abolition of cooling off period for its office bearers like the Secretary Jay Shah and the President Sourav Ganguly to continue in office despite completing six years in their respective state associations.