SC to hear on Dec 14 issue of implementation of Lodha report

The Supreme Court will hear on December 14 the issue of implementation of the Justice R M Lodha panel's suggestions, including appointment of ex-home secretary G K Pillai as observer and sacking of all office bearers who are in violation of its recommendations.

The matter, which was listed for hearing today, was adjourned by a bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, which said it would be heard on Wednesday.

The apex court had on November 25 agreed to hear the Cricket Association of Bihar's (CAB) plea after perusing the third status report submitted by Justice R M Lodha committee on BCCI reforms.

In the status report submitted on November 14, the Lodha panel has sought a direction to appoint Pillai as an observer to "guide" BCCI in administrative works including award of contracts, transparency norms and holding of future domestic, international and IPL matches.

The committee has also sought a declaration from the court that all office bearers of cash-rich BCCI and state cricket bodies, who are in violation of laid down norms with regard to 70 year age cap, citizenship and tenures, "cease to hold office forthwith".

On July 18, the apex court had accepted almost all major recommendations of the Lodha committee on reforms in BCCI including a bar on ministers and civil servants and those above 70 from becoming its members, but left it to Parliament to decide whether it should come under RTI and betting on the game should be legalised.

It had also accepted the recommendations of the committee to have a CAG nominee in BCCI and had rejected BCCI's objection to recommendations for one-state-one-vote.

The court had also accepted the recommendation that one person should hold one post in cricket administration to avoid any conflict of interest and scrapping of all other administrative committees in BCCI after the CAG nominee comes in.