Manohar blasts BCCI for postponing AGM

Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar questioned Board’s decision to postpone the Annual General Body Meeting, scheduled for November 20, saying it was against the constitution of the cricket body.

The counsel of the BCCI told the Supreme Court that the AGM has been postponed soon after it was disclosed that N Srinivasan was one of the individuals probed by the Mudgal Committee in the spot-fixing scandal.

Manohar said that the Board has no authority to postpone the AGM after a decision was taken by the Working Committee.

“During the hearing before the Supreme Court today, the names of N Srinivasan, Sundaraman, Meiyappan and Raj Kundra are disclosed. This means that the said persons are prima facie indicted in the report,” Manohar said in a press release.

“It appears that during the hearing, as soon as the names of Srinivasan and Meiyappan were disclosed, the Counsel for the Board made a request for the postponement of the AGM and elections scheduled to be held on 20th Nov. Once the date of the AGM was fixed by the Working Committee, the same could not and cannot be altered by any Office Bearer of the Board as they do not have authority to do so,” he said.

Manohar said that under the BCCI constitution, the decisions taken by the Working Committee or the General Body are final.

“It is thus evident that the instructions given to the Board counsel are only with an intent to suit Mr Srinivasan as that would ensure that he still remains a back seat driver. The moot question that needs to be answered is - Who gave the Board counsel instructions to plead for postponement of the AGM,” he said.

“Under the Board Constitution, though it is mandatory to hold the AGM on or before 30th September, the Working Committee meeting which was attended by Mr Srinivasan fixed the date of the AGM as 20th of November probably hoping that the names of Mr N Srinivasan and Meiyappan would be cleared.”