Lodha's welcome proposals on BCCI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the richest cricket board in the world, is on the edge courtesy a slew of radical reforms recommended by the Supreme Court-appointed committee, headed by former Chief Justice of India R M Lodha. The panel was formed by the apex court January last to decide on the quantum of punishment for former Chennai Super Kings’ Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan and Rajasthan Royals’ co-owner Raj Kundra, who had been indicted in the 2013 IPL betting scandal by Justice Mukul Mudgal committee. Besides determining the punishment, the Lodha panel had also been tasked with suggesting changes to the manner in which the BCCI carried out its day-to-day work in a bid to prevent sporting frauds and conflict of interests. After months of deliberations, discussions and consultations with all the stakeholders in the game, the Lodha panel submitted to SC an exhaustive report, recommending sweeping structural changes to the BCCI.

Many of the recommendations put forward by the panel are not only implementable but offer best hope in restoring the credibility of the Board. Keeping ministers and government servants out, bringing the Board under the ambit of RTI Act, the cap on terms of office-bearers and guidelines to decide conflict of interest cases, are just a few of the proposals in the report that can provide a new direction to the controversy-ridden Board. The very fact that none of the BCCI officials, who are voicing their opinion off the record, is happy with what the panel has come out with, is an indicator that the recommendations are radical and need of the hour as well.

The panel has also advocated making cricket betting legal in the country, a plea made by the BCCI itself to the government a few years ago. While betting can help generate revenue for the government, it should be kept in mind that it is not a solution to the fixing menace. The suggestion of one state, one vote (Gujarat and Maharashtra have three associations each and as many votes) ensures fair play while it could leave the BCCI in a fix. The case for bringing the Board under the RTI Act could be the most radical one in an association that has largely been opaque despite the recent efforts to make its operations appear transparent. Also, the ruling dispensation’s claims on curbing conflict of interest have been arbitrary which has not been lost on the panel. The changes mooted are just recommendations and will be met with severe opposition from the officials. The politicians, officials holding positions both in state associations and the BCCI and those above 70 years of age will do everything in their power to stop the recommendations from becoming rules unless the Supreme Court makes them binding.