BCCI vs Lodha: SC adjourns hearing to December 14

The stand-off between the Supreme Court and the BCCI over reforms that span the entire breadth of cricket administration in the country has been delayed again. The hearing that was first scheduled for December 5 but was postponed to December 9 has now been postponed to December 14, with the Supreme Court adjourning Friday’s session on the grounds that urgent decisions are required, as per the amicus curiae Gopal Subramanian.

The apex court had prepared to hear the matter involving the BCCI and its state associations’ refusal to accept any of the Justice Lodha Committee’s recommendations as mandated, but the air of finality wide expected by the country’s cricket fraternity has not prevailed.

Friday’s hearing was supposed to examine closely the status report filed by the Lodha Committee, in which the panel sought direction on three key focal points: one, that all office bearers of the BCCI and its state affiliations who had not complied with the criteria laid down by the apex court on July 18; two, that all administrative and management matters be carried out by the board CEO without advertence to the office bearers; and three, that former Union Home Secretary GK Pillar be appointed as an observer to monitor the administration of the BCCI.

The three points had been part of the Lodha Committee’s third status report submitted to the SC on November 21. 

The BCCI and its affiliate state associations have consistently resisted some of the reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee, which drew shark rebukes from the Supreme Court, which was also critical of the board’s constitution, which it felt was unsuited to bring in any degree of transparency.