Sweeping reforms in Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recommended by Justice Lodha Committee looks has opened new controversy in the cricket management body. Earlier Supreme Court took serious views of BCCI not following its directives. Supreme Court in its ruling has set a six-month deadline for the cricket body to implement Lodha Committee recommendations including age cap of 70 and one state one vote. Morover, the Apex Court also accepted the panel’s recommendation on having no minister in BCCI, but allowed Maharashtra to have three associations on rotational basis. SC has also asked Justice Lodha panel to oversee the board’s transition from the old to new regime within six months. The ruling has put question mark on the continuity of BCCI Chairman Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke. Now lack of proper authorisation letters or complete absence of such documents from several representatives of its affiliated units forced the BCCI to adjourn its Special General Meeting (SGM) convened here on Friday. The adjourned SGM, which is to consider adoption of sweeping reforms in BCCI suggested by the Justice Lodha Committee, most of which have been upheld by the Supreme Court, will now commence on Saturday at 12:00 Noon. A few associations’ secretaries came without carrying any document authorising them to not only attend the meeting but also take a decision on behalf of their association. Some others came with authorisation letters which also contained requests for their stay and return flight bookings, said a source who came to attend the meeting. The BCCI currently has 31 full members including the suspended Rajasthan CA, plus associate units from the North East region of the country as associate members without voting rights. Since BCCI is the richest sporting body in the world every politician and non sports playing person eyes entry and the game has never been free from regionalism. The Lodha Committee was set up by the Supreme Court to clean up cricket administration in the country after a corruption and match-fixing scandal hit the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading to two-year suspension of three-time champions Chennai Super Kings and inaugural edition winners Rajasthan Royals.
