New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has summoned the top three BCCI office-bearers- acting president CK Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry on Wednesday to provide an explanation as to why the recommendations of the Lodha Committee hasn’t been implemented till now.
The trio has been directed by the apex court to personally appear before it on the 19th of September this year.
Justice Dipak Mishra, who heads a three-judge panel comprising of Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud was displeased at the fact that the Lodha recommendations haven’t been applied yet despite the orders of the Supreme Court.
The bench said, “The whole problem is that nothing has been implemented. We will issue show cause notices and direct for personal presence.”
They also said that Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Kumar Verma’s plea would be heard as he alleges that Amitabh Choudhary had invited disqualified cricket administrators to attend the BCCI’s meetings.
Helping the court as amicus curiae, senior advocate Gopal Subramanium informed the bench that these three office-bearers were accountable for the implementation of the Lodha reforms and the directions of the Supreme Court but have failed to do so till now.
He also allegedly stated that BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, who was accompanied by the legal advisor of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) was barred from attending the special general body meeting held on the June 26, where the main motive was to not put to work the Lodha implementations and the orders by the apex court.
Puneet Bali, a senior advocate who is representing these three office-bearers countered Subramanium saying that they had emailed to all the people concerned that the Lodha recommendations must be implemented, after the July 26 SGM.
The bench, in response said, “You have expressed your helplessness. Beseechment is not the solution.”
Senior advocate Parag Tripathi also said that none of the Lodha recommendations and the directions of the Supreme Court have been implemented so far.
He said, “The only idea is not to implement anything. Justice (retd) Vikramajit Sen (who has been appointed administrator of the Delhi and District Cricket Association) had said (in the July 26 meeting) that everything contrary to what Lodha panel has said was being done in the meeting.”
The Justice Dipak Mishra headed bench also ordered the CoA to prepare a draft constitution of the BCCI in terms of the order and earlier judgement on the Lodha Committee recommendations.
They also stated that the copies of the same should be given to all the people concerned.
“We think it appropriate that the COA shall prepare a draft constitution in terms of the main judgement as well as the July 24 order of this court,” the bench said.
Subramanium, during the arguments also pointed out to CoA’s fifth status report according to which, no steps have been taken by the office-bearers to implement the Lodha recommendations.
In the report, the Vinod Rai led CoA had asked for the removal of Chaudhry, Chaudhary and Khanna. Subramanium added that the Supreme Court must give directions for the recommendations to be implemented.
Representing Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) senior advocate Kapil Sibal stated that the court needed to deal with certain issues. The bench stated that they would only do the same after the draft constitution has been formed by the CoA and filed before it.
Issues like that of the status of membership and selection was also raised by the representatives of the BCCI office-bearers but the bench said that all these things would be discussed after the draft constitution has been filed before the Supreme Court.
The apex court also said that it would consider two names who have been selected to fill up the positions left by former CoA members Vikram Limaye and Ramachandra Guha in the body headed by former CAG Vinod Rai.
The bench further said that the member associations can raise other aspects of discussions provided they are of, “acceptable sanctity.”
The Supreme Court also stated that suggestions regarding the draft constitution must be handed over to the amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium and to the representatives of the CoA.
The recommendations of the Lodha panel which includes the the one-state-one-vote policy amongst others had got the approval of the apex court.