Mumbai Cricket Association Against One-State-One-Vote Policy, Wants Multiple Membership in BCCI to Stay

Seeking status quo on their membership status, the Mumbai Cricket Association and the Cricket Club of India told the Supreme Court on Monday that they were against the Lodha panel's recommendation of one-state-one-vote in the Board of Control for Cricket in India. (You Have Done Nothing to Develop Game: SC Tells BCCI)

Mumbai and CCI are two of the oldest full members of the BCCI and manage the Wankhede and Brabourne Stadiums, respectively. Maharashtra have four full members in the BCCI - MCA, CCI, Vidarbha Cricket Association based in Nagpur and Maharashtra Cricket Association based in Pune. (BCCI Refusing to be Reformed, Says Supreme Court)

Interestingly, Sharad Pawar is the president of Mumbai while current BCCI chief Shashank Manohar heads Vidarbha.

On January 4, 2016, the Lodha panel made several telling recommendations to the Supreme Court. It suggested structural changes to the powerful BCCI to ensure more transparency in its operation.

The panel recommended cooling off period between successive terms for top officials and age caps. In Monday's hearing, the 'one state-one-unit-one vote' suggestion met with stiff opposition from MCA and CCI lawyers.

Last week, the Supreme Court Bench said: "BCCI is refusing to be reformed, while you are discharging a public function."

MCA and CCI argued that they had the infrastructure to run cricket and should not be demoted from full membership of the BCCI. Two important affiliates - Railways and Services - have also objected to the Lodha panel proposal.

MCA also argued that big and small states must not be treated equally. The Supreme Court had said the BCCI was neglecting the smaller states by giving them less funds.

The Supreme Court said: "Maybe, the BCCI never thought of promoting the game in the smaller states, that's why it never grew."

The hearing will continue on Wednesday.

- With Inputs from Suprita Das-