RM Lodha Panel Rejects BCCI's Request of Deferring Meeting on Reforms

The Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha panel on Monday declined the request of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to defer the scheduled meeting on Tuesday on implementation of reforms within the next six months.

The request came a day after BCCI's newly appointed legal advisor Justice Markandey Katju told BCCI to file a review petition against apex court verdict to a bigger bench and not meet the committee, terming the recommended reforms "null and void".

"Ajay Shirke (BCCI secretary) finally wrote to the Committee late last night requesting that the meeting on Tuesday with him and Anurag Thakur be deferred. The request has been declined," a source close to panel told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

It is learnt that both Thakur and Shirke may face Contempt of Court if they don't meet the panel tomorrow at proposed time of 11 am.

A senior BCCI official said that the move was a deliberate delaying tactics which BCCI wanted to employ with an aim of getting a stay order on the July 18th verdict passed by two-member bench comprising CJI TS Thakur and Justice FMI Khallifullah.

"The board could not have got a stay order before 11 am on Tuesday which is scheduled time for Thakur and Shirke to meet panel members. A delay would have enabled the BCCI lawyers to file for review petition and seek a stay on verdict. But after Justice Katju's attack, we know that bridges have been burnt," the senior official said.

Justice Katju who had prepared an interim report termed the SC verdict and appointment of Lodha panel as "unconstitutional and illegal".

He also criticised apex court saying that it is not judiciary but legislature's prerogative to make laws.

He said SC cannot "outsource" (Lodha panel) a body to give punishment to BCCI.