Kolkata: Indian cricket’s most controversial figure once again made the news as the Supreme Court today barred former BCCI chief Narayanaswami Srinivasan from representing the Indian cricket board at the International Cricket Conference (ICC) meeting scheduled to be held on the 24th of April this month. As his replacement, the apex Indian court has instructed BCCI’s acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhury accompanied by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri to represent the Indian cricket board at the meeting.
The panel of judges headed by Justice Deepak Misra and comprising of justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud held that Srinivasan could not attend the ICC meeting later this month at Dubai because he has already been held guilty by the Supreme Court of conflict of interest. The court also took into account Srinivasan’s history as the former BCCI president was involved in a number of scams in the past.
And subsequently, the court directed Amitabh Chaudhury and co to attend the meeting representing BCCI. “It is directed that Amitabh Chaudhary shall represent the BCCI in the ICC meeting and Rahul Johri shall accompany him and he (Johri) will also attend the meetings of the CEOs’ ” said the panel of judges.
The court, on Tuesday also said that there wasn’t any need for a Special General Body Meeting ( SGM) which would comprise of former BCCI officials.
Earlier, the Supreme Court on the 10th of April had stated that a person who is ‘ineligible’ to hold an office in the BCCI or any other state cricket association cannot be a part of ICC meetings by any chance.
This came after the Committee of Administator’s plea for the court’s intervention after three BCCI office bearers- Anirudh Chadhry ( treasurer), Amitabh Chaudhury ( acting secretary) and C.K Khanna ( acting President) opted for Srinivasan to attend the ICC meeting on behalf of the BCCI scheduled to be held later this month. And this decision by the apex court has closed the BCCI doors for Srinivasan.
Srinivasan is now legally ‘ineligible’ to hold a BCCI post or a position in the state cricket associations because of the fact that he has already crossed the nine-year limit for holding an office at both the state and BCCI levels and also because he has already crossed the age stipulation of 70. Srinivasan is 72.
What adds more to his ineligibility is the fact that he has been found guilty of contempt of court as he still hasn’t relinquished his post as the president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association ( TNCA).
And we all know the active role he has played in corrupting the gentleman’s game after his son-in-law was arrested four years back because he was in contact with bookies who fixed matches in the IPL. As a result, his team, Chennai Super Kings was banned and a dark scandalous chapter in Indian cricket was opened. He is also known for abusing his power and position in the past.
And therefore, this judgement by the Supreme Court is going to put things into place and this move is surely a really good step towards the cleansing of Indian cricket.
(With inputs from agencies)