BCCI rejects allegations of non-compliance with Lodha panel

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), in its response in the Supreme Court, has refuted allegations of non-compliance with Justice RM Lodha-led panel's recommendations, saying that "records of 40 mails" exchanged with Justice Lodha will be submitted before the apex court.

"Records of 40 mails sent to Justice Lodha will be submitted to the court. It is not true that we didn't respond to committee's mails," the BCCI said in its response.

Last week, the Lodha committee had submitted its status report to the top court, accusing the BCCI of defying the apex court's orders and stalling its proposed reforms. It also recommended the ouster of the entire top brass of the cash-rich cricket body.

In its report, the apex court-appointed panel had stated that the BCCI was not implementing its recommendations aimed at reforming the country's cricket governing body.

The move came after the BCCI appointed a five-member selection committee during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 21, which was in violation to the Lodha panel's guidelines.

Tearing into the BCCI for ignoring the directions of the Lodha panel, the apex court had given the cricket governing body time till October 6 to respond to the panel's report.

In its October 1 Special General Meeting, the BCCI had accepted many of the "significant recommendations" of the Lodha Committee, however, it excluded the important ones which have been bone of contention between the cricket body and the Lodha Panel.

The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and keeping to retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board.

Defending its action, the BCCI, on Thursday, informed the Supreme Court, "a meeting comprising all members took place and several recommendations of the Lodha Committee were rejected by voting". 

Image: BCCI president Anurag Thakur

Photograph: Shailesh Andrade/Reuters