BCCI to appoint Ombudsman at AGM on November 9

As a follow-up to the views expressed by Shashank Manohar soon after being re-elected as BCCI president, the Board is all set to appoint an Ombudsman at its AGM which is scheduled on November 9.

Appointment of the Ethics Officer or Ombudsman is one of the major changes proposed in the BCCI’s Memorandum of Rules and Regulations at its Annual General Meeting.

The Ombudsman will be appointed by the BCCI’s general body “to deal with the complaints of Conflict of Interest and any act of indiscipline or misconduct or violation of any of the Rules and Regulations of the Board by an administrator,” as per the wordings of the clause that has been proposed.

Another important change in the clauses is the one about the President approving every team picked by the national selection panel. This has resulted in Mahendra Singh Dhoni escaping the axe when the earlier selection panel headed by Krishnamachari Srikkanth had removed him as ODI captain following the 4-0 Test series rout in Australia in 2012 only for then BCCI President N Srinivasan vetoing the move. The existing clause reads: The President shall approve the composition of the team selected by the Selection Committee. The proposed changed clause reads: The President along with the Office Bearers shall approve the composition of a team selected by the National Selection Committee from time to time.

As per Manohar’s views post being elected as the BCCI Chief on October 4, another proposed change in clause is that the Chairman of a meeting, including AGM, will not have a vote as is the case at present. He will have only a casting vote, to be exercised if needed.