HC pulls up MCA for delay in adopting Lodha reforms

The Bombay High Court directed the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to submit by Wednesday the names of one or more retired judges of the Supreme Court, or the Bombay High Court, who can then be appointed as administrators to manage its affairs.

The directions came after the MCA told a bench of Justices Shantanu Kemkar and M S Karnik that it was willing to implement the Lodha Committee's recommendations, and had called for a meeting on April 16 this year.

MCA's counsel advocate A S Khandeparkar told the bench that the meeting was called to approve amendments to its constitution to implement the Lodha panel's recommendations.

The bench, however, noted that the MCA was making claims of wanting to implement the recommendations for several months now, but had not taken any measures for it.

"How can we be assured of the sanctity of your meeting? Let an administrator supervise the meeting. You have been seeing extensions even though the deadline fixed by the SC for implementation of the recommendations is long past," the bench said.

The court asked the MCA to submit before it the names of retired judges of the apex court or the Bombay High Court by Wednesday, when it will take up the matter for further hearing.

The court took note of the suggestion of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to follow the model adopted by the Delhi High Court and the Andhra Pradesh High Court of appointing administrators for the Delhi and Hyderabad cricket associations, respectively.

The bench was hearing a writ petition seeking that the MCA's managing committee be dissolved over non-implementation of the recommendations made in the Justice R M Lodha Committee report.

The petition has been filed by Nadeem Memon, a member of one of the sports clubs under the MCA.

Water wars

In another case, the Bombay High Court asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) if it would continue its decision of not supplying additional water to the Wankhede Stadium during the upcoming Indian Premier League.

The court asked the civic body to file an affidavit on this.

A division bench of Justices A S Oka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO 'Loksatta Movement' in 2016, raising concerns over water usage for ground management during the IPL tournament, when the state was reeling under drought.

In April 2016, the high court had directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shift all the IPL matches to be held in Maharashtra post April 30, outside the state due to the severe drought condition.