Lodha panel rejects BCCI request of deferring key meeting

The Supreme Court appointed Justice Lodha panel on Monday declined the request of Indian cricket board to defer the scheduled meeting on Tuesday on implementation of reforms within the next six months.

The request came a day after BCCI’s newly appointed legal advisor Justice Markandey Katju told BCCI to file a review petition against Apex Court verdict to a bigger bench and not meet the committee, terming the recommended reforms “null and void”. 

“Ajay Shirke (BCCI secretary) finally wrote to the Committee late last night requesting that the meeting on Tuesday with him and Anurag Thakur be deferred. The request has been declined,” a source close to panel said on conditions of anonymity.

It is learnt that both Thakur and Shirke may face Contempt of Court if they don’t meet the panel on Tuesday at proposed time of 11 am. A senior BCCI official said that the move was a deliberate delaying tactics which BCCI wanted to employ with an aim of getting a stay order on the July 18th verdict passed by two-member bench comprising CJI TS Thakur and Justice FMI Khallifullah.