Lodha Panel Tells Supreme Court Punish Defiant BCCI Bosses

The Lodha panel has submitted a report to the Supreme Court on Wednesday saying that the Board of Control for Cricket in India is ignoring its recommendations on bringing changes in its governance.

The Chief Justice said it will take up the matter on October 6. The panel has also sought the removal of BCCI's top brass for non-compliance of its recommendations. The Lodha panel wants a set of administrators of the BCCI to ensure smooth transition from the old to new system, as recommended by it.

The Chief Justice of India, Justice TS Thakur, who was part of the Bench that appointed the Lodha panel, said: "If BCCI thinks they are law unto themselves, they are wrong.

"When the high powered committee gives its report, we don't expect this sort of conduct from BCCI. "You (BCCI) are behaving like lords. Fall in line otherwise we will make you fall in line," Justice Thakur said.

#Lodha panel moves SC seeking removal of #BCCI top brass including #Anurag Thakur for non-compliance of SC orders.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 28, 2016

The Lodha panel was formed by the Supreme Court in the wake of the 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal. In its report to the Supreme Court on July 18 this year, the panel, headed by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, had suggested several changes in reforming the world's richest cricket body.

"Some of the BCCI decisions are against our recommendations. No time for discussion, BCCI has to implement recommendations. Current BCCI office-bearers should be removed as of now," Justice Lodha to NDTV.

BCCI has called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) on September 30. The BCCI held its Annual General Meeting on September 21. Flouting the Lodha guidelines, the BCCI named several committees that will be effective for 2016-17.

Lodha panel had set the BCCI two deadlines - September 30 to make constitutional changes and December 15 for the Board to form a nine-member Apex committee that will replace the working committee.

The BCCI did not accept all the proposals made by the Lodha panel. The BCCI appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju to review the Lodha panel recommendations and advise on whether to implement them.

(With inputs from A. Vaidyanathan, PTI)