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Unresponsive to change

There’s an ancient saying that a mistake once committed is a lesson. However, if the same is committed twice, one might consider it as a failure. Now imagine a situation in which the same mistake is committed time and again. This isn’t failure, but sheer stupidity. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has shown the audacity to ignore the orders of not only the apex court but also its specially appointed body. The recommendations of the Justice Lodha committee, which was appointed by the apex court to clean up Indian cricket, has been challenged by the BCCI. In the general meeting of India’s apex cricketing body, it was discussed that the Lodha committee’s recommendations cannot be implemented due to “the anomalies and the difficulties encountered”.

The Lodha report had investigated the spot-fixing scandal during the 2013 edition of the Indian Premiere League. In its findings, the committee had recommended a complete overhaul of the BCCI, which included changes to the cricket body’s power structure. However, the BCCI seems to be in no mood to surrender to the report and its recommendations. 

Other State cricket associations affiliated to the BCCI have openly surfaced their reservations against the changes forced upon them. However, it is not very difficult to comprehend why the BCCI has not paid any heed to the committee. Habits die hard and hence, implementing these recommendations would mean extensive changes to the very organisational structure of the BCCI. But the apex court has made its position very clear. “If you have any difficulty in implementing it [the Lodha report], we will have the Lodha Committee implement it for you,” the court said.

For example, the “One State, One Unit, One Vote” suggestion by the Lodha committee would completely change existing power structures within the organisation. The fixing of tenures for all BCCI office-bearers, which is another key recommendation, could leave many of Indian cricket’s most powerful men facing an immediate exit. It is rather interesting to note that the “proxy voting system” which the Lodha committee sought to dismantle, was absolutely rubbished by the Delhi Cricket Association. In light of the deep-seated corruption in the cricket body, which abused this very provision of the proxy vote, it isn’t hard to see why it was opposed. The Saurashtra Cricket Association has also gone ahead with their plans of filing an affidavit against the recommendations of the Supreme Court.

All said and done, under the current scheme of things, the likes of Sharad Powar and Shashank Manohar do find themselves in thick soup. The clock is ticking.  
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