Published: Oct 04, 2016, 12:11 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 07, 2016, 11:06 AM (IST)
Hello and welcome to the live updates’ post of what looks like a never-ending war between India’s apex court, the Supreme Court of India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). It all began way back in 2013, when a certain bunch of cricketers allegedly agreed to spot-fix in a few matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a cash-rich Twenty20 tournament which continues to grow financially and in popularity many folds. Ever since that spot-fixing scandal broke on May 16, 2013 during the sixth edition of IPL, Indian cricket has kept hitting new lows. There have been many, many embarrassing days as either cricketers or the care-takers of the sport in India — the cricket officials — keep running into one or the other trouble.
The matter kept getting murkier, and things went out of the hands of the BCCI to that extent that the intervention of the highest court of India was requested. The Supreme Court appointed an apex committee under the supervision of the retired Justice RM Lodha, and had Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice RV Raveendran as the other two members. The proceedings took time, as the Lodha Committee which was formed in January 2015, submitted its report to the Supreme Court of India only in January next year, and since then, the Indian cricket’s governing body is fighting a battle which seems to be getting tougher for it with every passing day. The reason why BCCI and the Lodha Committee are at loggerheads is because of some of the recommendations made by the Supreme Court-appointed panel, which have not been welcomed by the Indian cricket board. Click here to know what the Lodha Committee wants BCCI to do
December 7, 2016: BCCI moves to Supreme Court again and demands disbursement of Rs. 1.3 crores, ahead of hosting the remaining two Test matches vs England at Mumbai (December 8-12), and Chennai (16-20). The SC would also be hearing BCCIs plea at 3pm.
Supreme Court has decided to hear BCCI’s plea at 3 pm today
— ANI (@ANI_news) December 7, 2016
JUST IN: BCCI asks for disbursement of Rs 1.3 crores for hosting next two Tests between #India and #England. #INDvENG #EngvsInd
— CricketCountry (@cricket_country) December 7, 2016
October 21, 2016: SC also asks BCCI President and Secretary to file a compliance report affidavit within two weeks regarding implementation of Lodha panel recommendations. Supreme Court also decided to apprise ICC chairman Shashank Manohar of the court orders and set the date for next hearing on Lodha panel recommendations on December 5th.
Next hearing in Supreme court on Lodha panel recommendations to take place on December 5th.
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 21, 2016
Supreme court instructs the BCCI to stop giving money to state cricket associations till the time they follow Lodha committee recommendations. It also asks the Lodha panel to appoint an independent auditor to scrutinise BCCI’s accounts and also to fix a limit of financial transaction of BCCI.
Supreme court’s direction:State cricket associations can’t get any money from BCCI till the time they follow Lodha committee recommendations
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 21, 2016
Supreme court’s direction:State cricket associations can’t get any money from BCCI till the time they follow Lodha committee recommendations
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 21, 2016
October 17, 2016: BCCI chief Anurag Thakur has filed the affidavit which the Lodha Committee was wanting him to.
Lodha Panel recommendation matter: BCCI chief Anurag Thakur files affidavit in Supreme Court
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 17, 2016
According to PTI, “BCCI President Anurag Thakur denies he asked ICC CEO to say Lodha panel tantamounts to govt interference in BCCI working.”
October 4, 2016: The Lodha Committee has clarified that it has not asked Yes Bank to freeze the accounts of the BCCI. In fact, the committee has asked the BCCI not to disburse funds to the state associations.
Justice RM Lodha has said, “Cricket must go on”. It looks like the BCCI was able to push Lodha Commitee on the backfoot by threatening to pull out of the bilateral series, and has succeeded in their attempt.
The Lodha Committee wants the BCCI to make several changes, with the top most being the disqualification of men over 70 being involved in any kind of its functioning. The Lodha Committee wants a players’ representative body to be set up, a 15-day gap on either sides of the gruelling IPL, and one-state-one-vote in its elections. The Lodha Committee has also asked the BCCI to set up different governing bodies for its functioning as well as managing the IPL. CLICK HERE TO ACCESS COMPLETE LODHA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS
In the recent developments, the BCCI, who has been going on defying the Lodha Committee on almost every single recommendation, has threatened to pull out from the ongoing bilateral series between India and New Zealand. It must be remembered that the Indian cricket team has already clinched the three-Test series in their favour by winning the first two Tests with huge margins. The BCCI has made this threat of pulling out of the series only after the Lodha Committee decided to tell the banks — Yes Bank and Maharashtra Bank — to not provide huge chunks of money to the Indian cricket board for its day-to-day functioning.
Committee
