‘Expected Sourav Ganguly to Respect BCCI Reforms’: Justice Lodha

On 1 December, at BCCI’s AGM, major changes were suggested to the new constitution which was adopted last year.

As expected, efforts being made to change the new constitution of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by the Sourav Ganguly-led new regime has left Justice (retd) RM Lodha, the brain behind the reforms, disappointed.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Justice Lodha said the move was ‘unfortunate’, especially since a former cricketer is spearheading the movement.

“It’s very unfortunate. I thought a cricketer at the helm of affairs will understand that it was only our reforms which brought him to this position. If the earlier system was in vogue, perhaps no cricketer could have ever dreamt of heading a body like the BCCI.”

Justice (retd) RM Lodha to Hindustan Times

That’s all the more reason for those in charge now to “respect the reforms and try to fully implement them, instead of changing them,” said the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Lodha said that he expects the changes to not take affect and that the reforms are there for a good period of time, bringing transparency and accountability into the administration.

After coming into power in October, Ganguly chaired BCCI’s first Annual General Meeting after the reforms on 1 December, where major changes were suggested to the new constitution adopted last year.

The amendments suggested included doing away with a “cooling-off” period of three years after six years as an office-bearer, diluting conflict of interest clauses on the grounds that they were “impractical” and instead of the CEO, the board secretary enjoying the power.

It was also decided at the meeting that the constitution’s provision of the cap in tenure for its office bearers needs to be diluted.

The biggest beneficiaries of these amendments would be Ganguly and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, whose terms end next June, under the existing rule. A change in the constitution will help the duo to get extensions.

The matter will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court in January 2020.

(With inputs from Hindustan Times)