Lodha Panel Report - Supreme Court Hearing Hits Home Stretch: 10 Developments

The Supreme Court is in its final stretch of hearing the RM Lodha panel report. The Lodha panel has made some telling suggestions to make structural changes in the BCCI The RM Lodha panel report has suggested structural changes to the powerful BCCI to ensure more transparency in its operation.

A two-member Supreme Court bench, consisting of Chief Justice of India TS Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifullah, is expected to give its order on the recommendations made by the RM Lodha panel to make structural changes in the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The panel recommended cooling off period between successive terms for top BCCI officials, suggested ministers and government servants cannot occupy BCCI posts and sought professionals under a chief executive officer to run the board's day-to-day activity.

 

In other recommendations, all of which would be binding on the board if the Supreme Court deems so, the panel wanted the BCCI to be brought under the Right to Information Act which would allow citizens to access information held by the Board which is discharging a public function.

Here are the top 10 developments:

1. In January 2015, the Supreme Court appointed the RM Lodha panel to look into the functioning of the BCCI and suggest structural changes to bring in more transparency.

2. On January 4, 2016, the Supreme Court released the recommendations made by the three-member Lodha panel. The proposals were mainly aimed at structural changes for better governance. Age and tenure caps, one-state-one-vote and accountability and distribution of BCCI's funds were mainly in focus.

3. On January 7, 2016, the BCCI takes note of the proposals in Lodha panel report and tells its affiliated units to send their views. Several BCCI units object to the one-state-one-vote proposal. The states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and West Bengal have multiple associations with voting rights

4. On February 4, 2016: The Supreme Court sets a March 3 deadline for the BCCI to make their stance clear. The Bench is adamant that the proposals must be implemented. "If you have any difficulty in implementing it (the reforms), we will have the Lodha Committee implement it for you," Justice Thakur tells the BCCI counsel

5. On February 19, a BCCI SGM points out anomalies and difficulties in implementing the Lodha panel report. Then secretary Anurag Thakur is asked to file an affidavit to challenge the Lodha report.

6. On March 2, the BCCI files its affidavit. Meanwhile, the BCCI executes some of the proposals made by the Lodha panel. The Board appoints a CEO, appoints an ombudsman (Justice AP Shah) and addresses conflict of interest issues. The BCCI is firm to oppose the one-state-one-vote proposal and restriction of commercials during live broadcast of Tests and ODIs.

7. On March 3, the Supreme Court objects to BCCI's views. The Bench remains firm on restricting advertisements during live matches. Responding to the BCCI counsel's argument that a cap on advertisements during a match would "cripple" the board's income, Justice Thakur asks: "Do you mean that your commerce should overtake the enjoyment of the game?"

8. On April 5, the Supreme Court slams the method of distributing funds to its affiliated units. The court is not amused with unequal distribution of money, lack of focus on north-east states and how money is being used to corrupt and catch votes.

9. Over April and May, the Supreme Court continues to slam the BCCI saying it is refusing to reform itself and "running a prohibitory regime." "You have complete monopoly. If any cricket club or association wants to do anything, we are least bothered. We are not here to reform every cricketing club. But if any institution which is discharging public duty like BCCI, then any organisation or association associated with it will have to reform itself."

10. Before it breaks for the summer vacation on May 3, the top court makes it clear that state associations will have to fall in line and implements the reforms suggested by the Lodha panel report. "Once the BCCI is reformed it will go down the line and all cricket associations will have to reform themselves if they want to associate with it. The committee constituted in the wake of match-fixing and spot-fixing allegations was a serious exercise and not a futile exercise," the two-judge bench said.

CREDIT TO:http://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/news/260222-lodha-panel-report-supreme-court-hearing-hits-home-stretch-10-developments