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.
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.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India alleged in the Supreme Court that the Justice Rajendra-Mal Lodha committee is trying to "run cricket" in the country by giving directions regarding match schedule, including the cash-rich Indian Premier League, which is beyond its jurisdiction.
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 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."
Recommendations would force Sharad Pawar out as MCA chief.
Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) Secretary, Aditya Verma has criticised BCCI for appointing a new CEO without following the guidelines prescribed by the Lodha committee.
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.
The other bidders included some West Asian and Russian hotel chains.
Former India captains Bishan Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble along with yesteryear's great Mohinder Amarnath had deposed before the Justice Lodha Committee as they prepare an exhaustive report on the restructuring and reforms that need to be carried by the BCCI.
The revival in Mumbai's property market could help the group.
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.
The Supreme Court is likely to pass direction, on Monday, over Justice Lodha committee plea alleging that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is violating the apex court order and committee directions regarding the BCCI reforms.
'If Indian Prez can be over 70, why can't we be in BCCI'
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.
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.
implementable' There was no end to the stalemate surrounding the Board of Control for Cricket in India's standoff with the Lodha Committee with the Board deciding to continue its opposition to some of the reforms suggested by the Supreme Court-appointed panel after a meeting, in New Delhi, on Saturday.
The Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha Panel will meet on August 28 to discuss various issues concerning the BCCI, including the multiple complaints received against the Board. "In the light of several complaints received, Lodha Committee will have an emergent meeting on Sunday 28 August in New Delhi," a source close to the panel told PTI on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court appointed Justice RM Lodha Committee, whose recommended reforms are to be implemented by the BCCI in the next six months, has directed the Indian Cricket Board to freeze all elections post Monday's verdict by the apex court.
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 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.
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.
The 30-year-old managing director of the Lodha Group, who had a stint with McKinsey before joining the group which is the same age as him, clearly walks the talk.
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 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.
Not a single immovable article was missing from the house though 18 months had passed since the death of Priyamvada Birla.
The Justice Lodha Committee on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking the removal of Board of Control for Cricket in India's top brass including President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke for non-compliance of orders.
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.
The Birla-Lodha fight over the Rs 5000 crore (Rs 50 billion) empire of M P Birla reached the Supreme Court on Friday when the Lodha group approached it challenging a Calcutta high court
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.
Citing astonishing capitulation of Nagaland in a women's Under-19 match, former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur on Friday pointed out that not all the Lodha Committee reforms are appropriate.
Implementation of Lodha Committee recommendations in the Board of Control for Cricket in India will be complete in the next four-five months, said Vinod Rai, head of the Supreme Court-appointed panel of administrators to manage the cricket board's affairs.
The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association on Monday held its Annual General Meeting as per schedule but did not conduct its election as per instructions from the Supreme Court appointed Justice Rajendra-Mal Lodha panel.
The members of the affiliated units of the BCCI during its AGM on Wednesday discussed Lodha panel secretary Gopal Shankarnarayan's alleged remarks on the selectors but no specific decision was taken on the matter. "Yes, the matter came up for discussion on the floor. Secretary Ajay Shirke mentioned about some allegations made by Lodha Panel secretary Gopal Shankarnarayan's about selectors.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to form a committee for implementing the Lodha Panel reforms was specifically done to foil former president Narayanswami Srinivasan's attempts to maintain 'status quo' in the Board after he rejected the adoption of a resolution at the Special General Meeting in Mumbai on Monday.
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.
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 Mumbai Cricket Association headed by Sharad Pawar, is set to oppose most of the recommendations of the Justice Lodha committee submitted in its report to the Supreme Court last week. "We are opposed to most of the recommendations and are one hundred per cent behind Mr Pawar," said MCA's joint secretary P V Shetty, when asked about the managing committee meeting convened on January 13 to discuss the implications of the Lodha panel recommendations. "We will discuss everything and then put forth our views to the BCCI," said Shetty.
Six office-bearers of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) including secretary Rajiv Shukla on Thursday stepped down from their respective posts.