BCCI opposes Lodha panel suggestions in apex court

Cricket body against cap on tenure, ban on ministers

The BCCI has opposed before the Supreme Court the Lodha panel recommendations for putting a cap on tenure of its office-bearers, two-year cooling off period and banning ministers and other government servants from holding honorary membership.

Maintaining that democratic principles of permitting choice of an administrator and representatives ought not to be curtailed, the apex cricket body said, “It would be unjust to deny an individual the full right to his freedom of association and the necessary core right to be part of the management of the affairs of such association and have a say in its functioning. Such a bar would also hamper continuity of meritorious and deserving administrators and impact the development of the game.”

In an affidavit, the BCCI said the ban on ministers and government t servants from holding honorary posts in sports body would be contrary to freedon of association granted under Article 19(1)(c) and would come as “patently unreasonable restriction on the rights of such individuals.”

“No statute prohibits a government servant, ministers from forming an association or being involved in its management and affairs or restricts the right of such minister or government servant,” it said.

“Indian cricket is doing extremely well internationally in all forms of the game. Excluding a particular class of members would be unfair,” the BCCI maintained.

With regard to the restriction put by the three-former judges' panel headed by Justice R M Lodha on a state association member from simultaneously holding office in the BCCI, the affidavit said, “This will be akin to penalising state associations by denying them the administrative experience of an office bearer who has been elected in a honorary post in the BCCI.”