Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha explained what forced the Supreme Court to sack both BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke and the way forward for Indian cricket.
The next edition of the Indian Premier League will be held from April 9 with new franchisees Rajkot and Pune, which replaced Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The tournament will begin five days after conclusion of the ICC World Twenty20, which India will host.
Former Chief Justice of India Rajendra Mal Lodha, who recommended overhaul of the cricket governance in India, said things would move fast in the Board of Control for Cricket in India after the newly-appointed administrators take charge of the Cricket Board after January 19.
A panel appointed by the Supreme Court proposed identical two-year suspensions on the Chennai and Rajasthan franchises of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday in a corruption scandal that erupted two years ago.
Fuming at the defiance of its recommendations, the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel directed banks, where the Board of Control for Cricket in India holds accounts, not to disburse any funds for the financial decisions taken by the Board at its Special General Meeting in Mumbai on September 30.
The Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) has adopted a resolution to consider and approve its proposed new constitution as per the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.
'All of us tend to believe that they are so well paid, why should we bother about their payments.' 'But who all are well paid? Only a handful, maybe 3-4 of them, who go in for endorsements and things.' 'The others are struggling, playing Ranji Trophy and other matches, so that compensation we made it market-oriented.'
The Supreme Court appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha-panel on Tuesday categorically instructed the Board of Control for Cricket in India to implement a 15-step reform by October 15 ranging from constitutional reforms to principles of awarding various contracts, including the lucrative television rights.
The BCCI's much-awaited elections have been rescheduled by a day to October 23 in the wake of assembly elections in Haryana and Maharashtra.
'All members of the then 2009 Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council are equally responsible for the mess created in the league and singling out Lalit Modi is improper'
IMAGE: BCCI president Anurag Thakur, right, with ICC CEO Shashank Manohar. Photograph: PTI Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur on Monday said in Supreme Court that he had not asked International Cricket Council's CEO Dave Richardson to state that the appointment of Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee would "tantamount to government interference" in the functioning of BCCI.
The Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Panel denied that it had painted cricket selectors as morally 'depraved and despicable' individuals as has been reported in a section of the media, saying that there was no attempt on its part to do so. Quoting BCCI Secretary Ajay Shirke, reports in a section of the media had said that a member of the Lodha panel had made accusations that cricket selectors took "sexual favours" while picking players.
In the wake of the Supreme Court order on reforms in the Indian Cricket Board, former BCCI vice-president Gokaraju Gangaraju quit as secretary of Andhra Cricket Association while GVK Ranga Raju has taken over as the head of the state unit.
The BCCI followed the reverse bidding process to select the two new team owners. The new teams will replace the suspended teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, for two years.
The Madras high court on Friday issued a notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India on a petition by Indian Premier League franchise Chennai Super Kings challenging the order of Justice Lodha Committee suspending it from the IPL over the betting and match-fixing scandal in 2013 involving its top official Gurunath Meiyappan.
With the BCCI threatening to call off the ongoing series between India and New Zealand, the Justice R M Lodha led panel on Tuesday clarified that they didn't direct the banks to freeze the accounts of the Board and it should carry on with its routine expenses. Fuming at the defiance of its recommendations, the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel had "directed" banks, where BCCI holds accounts, not to disburse "large" funds to the state associations, a decision taken by the Board at its Special General Meeting on September 30.
Gujarat Lions owner Keshav Bansal expressed happiness that the new franchise managed to get 'experienced and talented' players for the upcoming ninth edition of the Indian Premier League and is confident that captain Suresh Raina can make a strong comeback in the IPL after a dismal showing in the just-concluded World T20.
The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing regarding the Justice (Retd.) R.M Lodha-led committee's recommendations and the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) constant reluctance to accept all recommendations till December 14.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice D Y Chandrachud said, "We will think over it".
A senior Chennai Super Kings official, reacting to the franchise's suspension from the Indian Premier League, conceded that it never expected to go "scot-free" in the spot-fixing scandal that rocked cricket in 2013.
The Supreme Court verdict on BCCI reforms came under a sharp attack from former apex court judge Markandey Katju, who termed the reforms as "unconstitutional and illegal."
The Supreme Court accepted major recommendations of the Lodha Committee on reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India, 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.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is not doing any business and is discharging a public function which makes it subject to rule of law, the Supreme Court was told on Wednesday.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra made it clear that it would not allow any plea now seeking to intervene in the ongoing proceedings, saying that they would be 'cruelly' rejected.
The Attorney General of India Mukul Rohatgi, on Friday, asked the Supreme to recall its order on the BCCI in the case regarding the Lodha recommendations to be followed by the Indian cricket board.
Mumbai Cricket Association, headed by former BCCI President Sharad Pawar, would file an intervention application before the Supreme Court to highlight the difficulties in implementing Justice R M (retired) Lodha Committee's recommendations to restructure the Board. This was decided at a meeting of the MCA's Managing Committee, said a media release today from the association's joint secretaries, P V Shetty and Unmesh Khanvilkar. "In a meeting of the Managing Committee of the Mumbai Cricket Association to discuss the far ranging consequences of the Lodha Committee's recommendations, it was unanimously decided that the Mumbai Cricket Association would file an intervention application before the Supreme Court and highlight the difficulties and inconsistencies in the report," the media release said. "Accordingly, the members unanimously authorised Joint Honorary Secretaries and Vice President Ashish Shelar to seek appropriate legal advice and file necessary applications before the Court," the release added.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that 12 of its member associations have kept the funds received by the cricket body in term deposit and they will not utilise them until further orders of the apex court.
Aditya Verma, the petitioner in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, hailed the verdict, stating that the ball is now in the BCCI's court and cleaning up the mess can start with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur urging former BCCI president Srinivasan to withdraw his representation from the ICC.
Reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India will not pull the cash-rich body back, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday and made it clear that it does not intend to reduce the popularity of the BCCI or hinder its growth but wants structural reforms which would make the cricket body more transparent.
A marathon session of over a dozen hearings on implementation of Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha panel recommendations on structural reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India came to an end on Wednesday in the Supreme Court, which took the Indian cricket board to task over issues like fund utilisation and avoiding of performance audits.
BCCI senior vice president Gokaraju Gangaraju made it clear that his association Andhra Cricket Association will implement the Lodha reforms with immediate effect.
Former Goa Cricket Association (GCA) president Shekhar Salkar said more clarification is needed on some of the Lodha Committee recommendations calling for massive overhaul of the functioning of the Board of Control for Cricket in India and administration of the popular sport.
Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court, was on Sunday sworn in as the 41st Chief Justice of India by President Pranab Mukherjee.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the state cricket associations and the Board of Control for Cricket in India office-bearers to give their suggestions on the draft constitution for the apex cricket body, to be approved by it.
The Supreme Court on Monday is likely to give the final order on the implementations of Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha Committee's recommendation in the Board of Control for Cricket in India including removal of the current office bearers, while the perjury charges against BCCI chief Anurag Thakur could also come up for hearing.
According to a report in the Indian Express newspaper, the decision to call off the tour was taken following Justice L M Lodha committee's direction to banks to freeze the accounts of the BCCI.
Justice Lodha said the verdict of the Supreme Court is supreme, after the panel filed its status report which has called for the removal of BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke for non-compliance of the apex court's orders.
Former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur on Thursday tendered a fresh "unconditional" and "unequivocal" apology in the Supreme Court, saying it was never his intention to undermine the majesty of the apex court.
The far-reaching effect on the implementation of the Justice Lodha Committee's recommendations and the subsequent scathing observation on the matter by the Supreme Court has left the BCCI members thoroughly shaken.
The Supreme Court appointed Lodha Committee has told the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) that the "proposed MoU" between England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the BCCI "is not a part of the mandate" and no directions can be issued on payments unless details are furnished.
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