Lodha panel urges SC to replace BCCI top brass

Wants panel of administrators to effect changes

The Justice Lodha committee on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to replace all office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) with immediate effect.

The panel wanted the office-bearers, including president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke, to be replaced for defying its judgement on reforms in the cricket board. The committee also requested for appointing a panel of administrators to ensure “smooth transition from the old to the new system”.

In its plea, the committee sought orders to declare as ineffective all decisions taken by the BCCI after the apex court’s July 18 judgement. The apex court had accepted the reforms suggested by the committee, including the age cap of 70 years for the office-bearers, one person one vote and no minister and civil servants in the board or state associations. The panel also red-flagged the conduct of the BCCI office-bearers for creating “serious impediments” in the implementation of the reforms.

As advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan mentioned the matter, a bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice D Y Chandrachud observed, “If the BCCI thinks that they are a law unto themselves, then they are wrong. They have to comply with the directions of the court.”

Thakur avoids queries
The counsel, representing the committee, pointed out that Anurag Thakur did not respond to several emails and openly defied the court’s directions. Senior advocate Arvind Datar, appearing for the BCCI, submitted that the board has complied with most of the directions and the remaining would also be complied with.

Unhappy with Datar’s submission, the bench said: “You are behaving like lords. Fall in line, otherwise we will make you fall in line. The BCCI is bringing the system to disrepute by not following the directions.” The apex court posted the matter for October 6.