Railways, Services Against Demotion in Board of Control for Cricket in India Membership
Railways Sports Promotion Board and Services Sports Control Board are against the Lodha panel’s recommendation to downgrade them to associate members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
Highlights
-
Both Railway and Services have moved to Supreme Court.
-
Lodha panel suggested structural changes to the powerful BCCI.
-
RSCB and SSCB were an integral part of Ranji Trophy tournament.
At a time when the Supreme Court seems intense on making changes in Board of Control for Cricket In India's style of functioning, two important units of the BCCI - Railways and Services -- have objected to the Lodha panel's proposal that recommends a demotion of their membership status. (You Have Done Nothing to Develop Game: Supreme Court Slams Board of Control for Cricket in India, Again)
Railway Sports Promotion Board and Services Sports Control Board have moved the Supreme court questioning the Lodha panel's recommendation to reduce them from full to associate members of the BCCI. (BCCI on Sticky Wicket - 10 Developments)
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. (Lodha Panel Report: Supreme Court Wants Reforms in BCCI - 10 developments)
The panel recommended cooling off period between successive terms for top officials, suggested ministers and government servants cannot occupy BCCI posts and wanted professionals under a chief executive officer to run the board's day-to-day activity.
On February 4, a Supreme Court Bench including Chief Justice of India TS Thakur, accepted the proposals and wanted the BCCI to implement it. (Lodha Panel Report: BCCI Objection May Drag Supreme Court Deliberations)
Several recommendations like 'one state-one-unit-one vote' and 'no commercial breaks during live cricket matches' have met with serious opposition from the Board and its affiliated units.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the BCCI and called it a 'mutually benefit society'. It will deliberate on the Lodha proposals on Friday again and the Railways and Services petition will be hard to ignore.
Century-old government institutions, RSCB and SSCB play Ranji Trophy since the inception of the tournament and provide employment to hundreds of athletes across disciplines.