Some cricket officials, defying Supreme Court orders and the court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), on Sunday convened a Special General Body(SGM) Meeting of the BCCI in New Delhi, but postponed it apparently to wait for Supreme Court directions.
The officials said that the SGM would now most likely to be held on Wednesday, after the Supreme Court on Monday pronounces an order on a status report filed by CoA, which has also sought certain directions from the court. The group of defiant officials, led by acting BCCI president CK Khanna and comprising acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, had issued the SGM notice on March 26.
Advertisement
While Amitabh Choudhary had issued a notice “under the instructions of Khanna”, the CoA in its third ‘Status Report’ filed in the Supreme Court on April 6 sought certain directions, mainly on ineligible state associations’ officials likely to attend the SGM and ineligible officials likely to be chosen to represent the BCCI at an International Cricket Council(ICC) meeting this month.
Since the third status report was uploaded on the BCCI’s website few days ago, the officials who had convened the SGM could have easily postponed the meeting until the apex court delivered an order. “Once it was known that the CoA had sought the court’s directions, they could have simply conveyed the state associations that the meeting was being postponed until court orders. But it is clear it was deliberately not postponed earlier so that all the members could meet in person and formalise a strategy,” said someone who was opposed to the SGM.
Advertisement
By not postponing the SGM, tens of lakhs of rupees went gone down on Sunday, not just for organising the meeting at a five-star hotel, but also on the TA/DA for officials who attended the meeting. Obviously, those who convened the meeting defying the Supreme Court’s rulings are unlikely to pay from their own account. “The BCCI has no dearth of money,” quipped an official of a state association that is part of the group in favour of the SGM.
“The meeting was adjourned as the Supreme Court is hearing the matter tomorrow[April 10]. Since legal implications are involved, Amitabh Chaudhary, the joint secretary announced adjournment,” Saurashtra Cricket Association’s Niranjan Shah told reporters.
Many state association officials who have been disqualified as per the Lodha Committee recommendations – of 70-year age and tenure caps -- attended Sunday’smeeting. They included Tamil Nadu president N. Srinivasan, now over 70, Niranjan Shah, former Kerala president T.C. Matthew, IPL governing council chairman Rajeev Shukla, former Odisha president Ranjib Biswal, and former Andhra secretary G. Ganga Raju.
The CoA had warned those seeking the SGM of not to go against the Lodha Committee recommendations that have been upheld by the Supreme Court. In its 85-page long status report, containing copies of various Supreme Court orders and Lodha Committee FAQs, the CoA has requested the court to issue directions, broadly under four categories. They are: (1) Release of payments to state associations; (2) Status of FAQs issued by Lodha Committee (3) Participation of non-compliant state associations in general body meetings; and (4) Request for directions.
Advertisement
The CoA had further said: “For the reasons stated above, the COA requests this Hon’ble Court to: “(a) issue appropriate directions related to whether the First FAQs and the Second FAQs (especially FAQ No.2 of Second FAQs) form part of the reforms that the CoA is required to implement; “(b) issue appropriate directions related to whether persons who are disqualified from being office-bearers of a state association are nevertheless entitled to attend any SGM or AGM of the BCCI as nominees/representatives of a state association; “(c) issue appropriate directions related to whether persons who are disqualified from being office-bearers of the BCCI may nevertheless be appointed to represent the BCCI at the ICC; “(d) issue appropriate directions regarding whether state associations that have not complied with the orders dated October 7, 2016, and October 21, 2016, passed by this Hon’ble Court are nevertheless entitled to participate in any SGM or AGM of the BCCI and send their nominees/representatives to attend the same; and “(e) pass such order or further orders as this Hon’ble Court deems appropriate in the facts and circumstances.”
