Why BCCI is objecting to implementation of Lodha reforms

The Board of Control for Cricket in India's committee formed to analyse the implementation of the Lodha reforms on Saturday submitted a list of four reservations including demarcation of functions performed by honorary office-bearers and paid professionals, 'One State One Vote', Cooling off period of three years after every tenure and the 'Cooling off period' for Apex Council members.

However, it was bad luck for 'Special Invitee' Niranjan Shah, whose demand for inclusion of the age cap of 70 years, didn't figure in the four-point reservations.

Also, Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda's chances of re-entry into the selection committee seem unlikely as the five-member panel also does not figure in the priority list.

However, the most notable point is the demand for segregation between office-bearers and paid professionals.

The role of an honorary secretary, which currently Amitabh Chaudhary is performing, is at times directly clashing with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rahul Johri's duties.

"We have been able to reduce our reservations from seven to four points. One of the points is the dynamics involving powers and functions between office-bearers and professionals. That needs a review. That's the view of the special committee," Chaudhary said in Mumbai without elaborating further.

In the earlier regimes, the president, secretary and treasurer wielded a lot of power being executive functionaries with the supreme authority in decision making -- both administrative and financial.

However, the Lodha reforms have suggested a lot of power being rested with the CEO.

Johri, in fact, had once convened a selection committee meeting at the behest of the Committee of Administrators (COA), something that didn't go down well with the former Jharkhand top cop.

While Chaudhary has been convening meetings after that but there was lot of tension in the BCCI as it is the secretary, who has been the convenor of selection committee meetings.

On COA's insistence, Johri has also been a part of a core group that dealt with the Anil Kumble-Virat Kohli controversy leading to the former stepping down from his post as head coach.

On the One State One Vote, Chaudhary said: "The special committee humbly considered all aspects of it and thought that the order putting into effect 'One State One Vote' may be reconsidered with a view that the present members of the BCCI continue to remain members at the same time enroll new members from the new members following due procedure so that's our present prayer to the SC."

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is part of the seven-member committee, headed by senior BCCI official Rajeev Shukla, to analyse the few contentious Lodha Panel reforms which are being opposed by the Board's state units.

The other members of the panel are TC Mathew (former Kerala Cricket Association president), Naba Bhattacharjee (Meghalaya Cricket Association Secretary), Jay Shah (Gujarat Cricket Association secretary and son of BJP president Amit Shah), BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary and acting secretary Choudhary, who will be the convener of the committee.

- Report of Lodha Committee on Reforms in Cricket - Final Report, Volume 1

- Report of Lodha Committee on Reforms in Cricket - Final Report, Volume 2

Image: BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.

Photograph: BCCI