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.
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 Justice Lodha Panel had recommended a slew of structural reforms in the BCCI, which were approved by the Supreme Court.
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.
Trying to rebuild its tattered image after a spate of controversies, the BCCI is waiting anxiously for the Justice Lodha Committee's report which is set to recommend a host of reforms for the cricket body on Monday. While the three-member committee comprising Justice (Retd) RM Lodha, Justice (Retd) Ashok Bhan and Justice (Retd)RV Raveendran is set to submit their report to the Supreme Court, the BCCI will be keenly watching the proceedings as to whether the Apex Court makes the recommendations binding or not.
Supreme Court has done its best to have the BCCI implement the Lodha panel's sweeping reforms, said the committee's Chairman Justice (Retd) R M Lodha after the apex court asked the Cricket Board to not disburse funds to its state until they abide by the recommendations. "If the Supreme Court has done something, it must be for the implementation of its judgment on July 18. The court has done what it thought was best for having its order implemented. Let's see to what extent the order is carried out by the BCCI," said Lodha.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri will need to get assurances from all the state associations that there will be no disruption in organisation of cricket matches under aegis of the board, the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee said on Wednesday.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur, on Monday, asserted that the Indian cricket board is ready to implement the Lodha Panel recommendations but added that the state cricket associations are still confused over the reforms.
The GCA at its Special General Body meeting held in Porvorim on Sunday adopted the resolution with 86 votes in its favour while one member cricket club voted against it.
In a twist in the family feud, Abhishek Lodha-run Macrotech Developers on Wednesday alleged younger brother Abhinandan's firm fabricated documents to misuse the company's brand name to further its business interests.
Former cricketer Bishen Singh Bedi, on Monday, said that all things nasty in cricket administration over the last few decades were by "design" and the reforms suggested by the Lodha committee should have been brought in 50 years ago.
Former Supreme Court Justice Markandey Katju has already prepared a first interim report on behalf of the Board of Control for Cricket in India based on the Justice Lodha panel recommendations, which is now binding after the Supreme Court verdict on July 18.
Managing committee of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has agreed to adopt the recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha committee.
The Supreme Court has come down heavily on the Board of Control for Cricket in India over not completely complying with the recommendations of the Lodha Panel.
In the last hearing on March 6, the apex court granted some interim relief to former BCCI president Anurag Thakur and exempted his personal appearance in the court till the next date of hearing in connection with the initiation of contempt of proceedings case.
Questioning Lodha Committee's fresh clarifications, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) legal advisor Ushanath Banerjee pleaded for a review saying it made a clear departure from the earlier stand and misconstrued the order.
Pushed into a corner by the Supreme Court after failing to comply with the Justice R M Lodha Panel recommendations, the beleaguered Board of Control for Cricket in India appears to have been left with no option but to adopt them in totality at its Special General Meeting in Mumbai on Friday.
Recommendations would force Sharad Pawar out as MCA chief.
The basic tenet of the Lodha panel's constitutional reforms for Indian cricket has fallen flat after most of state units are being controlled by family members of disqualified office-bearers, says former MCA president Abhay Apte.
With the shadow of the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha panel recommendations hanging over its head, the BCCI will be conducting its 87th Annual General Meeting in Mumbai on Wednesday, with election of its honorary secretary being one of the priorities on the agenda.
Karnataka State Cricket Association secretary Brijesh Patel tendered his resignation along with president Ashok Anand and treasurer Dayanand Pai to fall in line with the reforms of the Justice Lodha panel.
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 far-reaching effect on the implementation of the Lodha Committee's recommendations calling for sweeping reforms in the BCCI's structure and the subsequent scathing observation on the matter by the Supreme Court which has shaken the Board members, is set to dominate the Special General Meeting.
The Sharad Pawar-headed Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has no alternative but to implement in totality the Supreme Court order, based on the Justice Lodha Committee recommendations on sweeping reforms in cricket governance, feels its former managing Committee member Ravi Mandrekar.
The apex court-appointed Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to appoint former home secretary G K Pillai as an observer to guide' the Board of Control for Cricket in India in the administrative works including award of contracts, transparency norms and holding of future domestic, international and Indian Premier League matches.
Former Indian team captain Bishan Singh Bedi and ex-cricketer Kirti Azad on Thursday batted in the Supreme Court for implementation of Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee's recommendation on structural reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
Its funds choked by the Supreme Court, an embattled BCCI President Anurag Thakur today steered clear of commenting on the latest diktat by the apex court, saying that he is yet to go through the order.
The fact remains that there is a judgement of the court and the judgement has to be implemented by the BCCI, says Congress leader Manish Tewari.
Subramanian Swamy, in his plea, has alleged that there are no allegations against either Narayanswami Srinivasan or against any members of CSK and hence the ban imposed by the Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha panel is "illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable".
The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday named former captain Sourav Ganguly in the four-member panel to study the Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee verdict on the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal of 2013.
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 under-fire Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday adjourned its crucial Special General Meeting, called to consider the sweeping reforms suggested by the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee, on technical grounds.
The Supreme Court will today (Friday) pronounce its order on the apex court-appointed Justice R.M. Lodha Committee's plea, seeking to replace the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) brass for impeding the panel's work to usher in transparency and accountability in Indian cricket administration. The court decided to pass an order on the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations today after the BCCI counsel declined to give an unconditional undertaking by today that it will seek instructions to stop funds to state bodies and abide by the committee's recommendations.
In a complete defiance of the Supremer Court, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, on Saturday, rejected key recommendations of the Lodha Committee, like one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years and cooling-off period of three years, setting the stage for another round of confrontation with the apex court.
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."
Stating that the Lodha Committee recommendations matter, the Supreme Court, on Friday, postponed the hearing in the Board of Control for Cricket in India vs Lodha Commission case to October 17.
Suspended from all cricket-related activity for life by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R S Lodha committee, former Rajasthan Royals co-owner Raj Kundra said he is shocked and disappointed by the punishment handed out to him.
Obstinate attitude by BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke is putting the entire "England series in jeopardy" said a source close to the Supreme Court appointed Justice RM Lodha panel. While BCCI is yet to sign MoU with ECB regarding the clause including the financial aspects related to the series citing non-appointment of auditor, the source made it clear that the England Test series will be in a limbo if Thakur and Shirke don't file their compliance report and appear in person before the panel.
In the wake of Lodha Committee report, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's top brass on Wednesday said the Board is still 'confused' over the kind of payments that can be made from the two bank accounts which had come under the scanner of the Supreme Court-appointed panel.
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.