BCCI Refusing To Be Reformed, Says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday said the Board of Control for Cricket in India is refusing to be reformed after the Board's lawyers refused to accept some of the proposals made by the Lodha panel. (Lodha Panel: Supreme Court Wants BCCI to Reform)

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 Friday's hearing, several recommendations like 'one state-one-unit-one vote' met with serious opposition from the Board's lawyers.

The Supreme Court Bench said: "BCCI is refusing to be reformed, while you are discharging a public function." The hearing resumes on Monday.

'Autonomous' BCCI Refuses a Government Nominee

The BCCI argued that it was an autonomous body and was "accountable to the Registrar of Co-operative Societies". It also refused to have a government nominee on board as it was "against the rule of the International Cricket Council."

The Supreme Court, which wants the Lodha panel report to be implemented, hit back at the BCCI asking: " Is BCCI arguing that we might collect hundreds of crores but can't be questioned on how it has been spent?"

The judges were referring to the revenue collected from TV commercials and ticket sales.

The judges said the BCCI had no control over people and whom it was allocating money. On Tuesday, the apex court had slammed the BCCI for being a 'mutually benefit society."

(With inputs from Rica Roy)