Ajay Shirke Can't Represent Maharashtra, Sourav Ganguly Must Undergo 'Cooling Off' Period

The Lodha Committee, in answers to a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), made it clear that it was the end of the road for Ajay Shirke, while Sourav Ganguly too will have to take a back seat for a while from June, 2017.

There was little to cheer for among the former and current office-bearers of BCCI-affiliated state associations as the Lodha Committee made it clear in a seven-point response that addressed the questions on the mandatory administrative reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Sacked BCCI secretary Ajay Shire cannot represent the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) in BCCI meetings.

Even Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) boss Sourav Ganguly will have to undergo a 'cooling off' period of three years from June, 2017, when he had completes a three-year stint as secretary and president of the association.

The response also clarified that the total tenure of office-bearers, for state and BCCI, would be nine years and not 18, as had been mentioned earlier.

A set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) were addressed by the panel, with the Shirke issue being second on the list.

The question was, "Can a disqualified Office Bearer act as the representative/nominee of a Member Association or the BCCI? Can such an individual discharge any other role in or on behalf of the Association or the BCCI?"

The answer was, "In keeping with the spirit of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's judgement a disqualified office-bearer is no longer to be associated with cricket administration. He/She is disqualified from being a representative or nominee of the member association or the BCCI and Cannot discharge any other role in or behalf of the association or the BCCI. He/She cannot function within the association in any patron or advisory capacity nor be a member of a committee or council."

The FAQ No 7 was directly related to Ganguly, whose name was doing rounds for the new BCCI president's post. While he can be a BCCI president but it would only be for a few months if one interprets Lodha Panel's answer properly.

FAQ No 7 addressed the Ganguly issue.

"If an individual has been an existing office bearer in a State/Member Association for 2 years, is he eligible to contest for the next elections without the 3 year cooling off period applying to him? If yes, what will be the term of his office?

"If at the time of the election the existing office-bearer has not completed a period of 3 years, he is eligible to contest the election however, he will not have a full term and will have to demit office immediately upon the continuous 3 year period being completed. This is to avoid any potential abuse. For example, if there were no such bar, an office bearer could resign after 2 years and 9 months and then claim eligibility to stand at the next election 3 months later on the ground that a new term would commence."

Another question was regarding the elections in state associations and the answer was clear that if associations don't have pending cases against them, they could go ahead with elections conforming to the new set of reforms. This question affects the concerns Rajasthan Cricket Association and Hyderabad as well.

Interestingly, none official from the Bihar state body will have to go for 'cooling off' as they have not got any sanction from BCCI.

"There is no connection between the type of membership of the association and the eligibility of the office-bearer. Regardless of whether the association was/is a full member or associate/affiliate member, the entire tenure of the office-bearer will be calculated towards the 9 year period," the panel stated.

"However this will not apply to an association which has never been a member of the BCCI. In such an event, the tenure of the office-bearer will be calculated only from the date of the affiliation unless he had already been the office bearer of another affiliated association."

As to the questions as to how the nine-year tenure would be calculated, the committee made it clear that even a nine-year term in state association would mean end of the road in cricket administration.

(With inputs from PTI)