Lodha reforms will make BCCI more transparent: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India has finally called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to implement the reforms suggested to them by the Justice Lodha committee, stating that the reforms would make them more transparent, objective and credible in the public eye.

The court said, “The BCCI cannot conduct itself in a manner that is unacceptable to the general public. You cannot say the board’s constitution is supreme and no one can change it,” it said.

Justice TM Thakur and Justice FMI Kalifulla explained the reason behind the formation of the committee and the main objective behind the Lodha report.

“What is the purpose of setting up the committee? The purpose is to cleanse the system, make it transparent and objective. If the recommendations are for achieving that objective by effecting structural changes in the BCCI, it should be appreciated and not resisted.

“The whole exercise is meant to achieve a very, very laudable and desirable objective of making BCCI transparent and credible so that no one raises a finger at BCCI. This need not be scuttled by arguing that one state-one vote recommendation should not be implemented,” the bench said.

The bench also said that the CCI that owns the Brabourne Stadium and the MCA that owns the Wankhede Stadium also needs to be streamlined.

The bench said, “To streamline BCCI, if those who are enjoying undeserved right (of permanent membership) in the board need to be removed, why not?”

CCI and MCA argued that the BCCI constitution provided that a member could be removed for a grave misconduct only if three-fourths of its members voted for such removal.

The court said, “If we were to accept that the BCCI constitution cannot be amended unless three-fourths of its members agree, then whatever be the case, there can be no reforms. BCCI is not a private entity. We have made it clear to you that you are accountable for your activities. You have to be accountable to the public.”

The bench was not convinced. It said, “We can understand your right under Article 19(1)(c) getting violated if the Lodha committee had recommended that CCI was to take 10 members from outside. By recommending reforms in BCCI, it has not violated your fundamental right. Moreover, the right to form an association under Article 19(1)(c) is available to citizens and not associations.”

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