Wanted to Know From ICC If Lodha Reforms Amounted to Governmental Interference: Anurag Thakur Tells Court
BCCI chief Anurag Thakur has said in his affidavit to the Supreme Court that he had only asked ICC to clarify if Lodha panel reforms amounted to government interference
Highlights
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Anurag Thakur files personal affidavit in Supreme Court
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BCCI has been reluctant to enforce Lodha panel reforms
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Lodha panel wants CAG nominee in BCCI's Apex Council
Embattled Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur has denied in his affidavit to the Supreme Court on Monday that he had asked ICC to say that the "Lodha panel reforms amounted to interference from the government".
Acting on an interim order from the Supreme Court on October 7, Thakur in his affidavit said: "Deny that I had asked the CEO of ICC (Dave Richardson) to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha committee was tantamount to government interference in the working of the BCCI."
The Supreme Court is hearing the BCCI on why it is delaying the execution of the Lodha panel reforms in full.
Ever since the reforms were approved by the Supreme Court in July this year, the BCCI has been reluctant to enforce the one-state-one-vote and age and tenure caps for top officials, among others.
Thakur adds in the affidavit that during an ICC meeting in Dubai on August 6 and 7, he had pointed out to the chairman of ICC Shashank Manohar that "when he (Manohar) was president of BCCI, he had taken a view that the Lodha panel recommendations of appointing a nominee of the CAG on the Board's Apex Council would amount to governmental interference and might invoke an action of suspension from ICC."
The affidavit says: "I (Thakur) therefore requested him (Manohar) that he being the ICC chairman, can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI president. Mr Manohar explained to me at the meeting that when the stand was taken by him, the matter was pending before the court and had not been decided.
"However, on July 18, the Supreme Court delivered its judgement in the matter rejecting the submission that the appointment of the CAB nominee on the Apex Council would amount to governmental interference and had also held that the ICC would appreciate the appointment as it would bring transparency in the finance of the Board."
Thakur adds: "I was satisfied with the reply given by Mr Manohar and the discussion stopped at that."