Niranjan Shah reckons if president can be over 70, so can BCCI officials

Disqualified BCCI veteran Niranjan Shah has cried foul with regards to his qualification from the board as per the Lodha Committee recommendations. Shah believes if the president of the country can be over 70, then why not BCCI officials. Niranjan Shah feels that BCCI officials can easily work beyond the age limit imposed by the Lodha Committee.

Shah was controversially included in the panel that was asked to study Lodha recommendations. He will now be a ‘special invitee’ along with the seven members and will provide his inputs and suggestions to help the other committee members as well.

“I don’t understand this hue and cry over the age limit of the BCCI office-bearers. If our president can work beyond 70, what is so wrong about BCCI officials working beyond that age limit. As long as you are fit, you can work even till the time you are alive. I call this age discrimination (what is being proposed by the Lodha panel),” Shah was quoted a saying by News18.

Although Niranjan Shah is ineligible as per the Lodha recommendations, he is part of the special panel led by Rajeev Shukla. According to the Lodha Committee, Shah cannot be a state or BCCI administrator on all counts. The panel is slated to hold its first meeting to study Lodha reforms in New Delhi on Saturday.

“I think my experience will come handy in the panel as we have discussed the recommendations at length during the BCCI SGM. Though all members will have a say,” he said ahead of the meeting.

Niranjan Shah vs one-state-one-vote rule

The veteran also has his reservations with the one-state-one-vote rule which the BCCI is likely to implement very soon. The Saurashtra Cricket Association, which is his state body, will be directly impacted as a result of the new rule.

“Personally I am not against the one-state-one-vote. But how can you take away the voting rights of one of the oldest state associations in the country? The same applies for Mumbai cricket. They have done so much for Indian cricket,” he said.

“We have no problems with voting rights given to a new member but voting rights of West Zone should stay as it is a major contributor,” said Shah, who has ruled SCA for more than four decades and has served as a BCCI official in various capacities.

According to Shah, the three-year cooling off period between two terms and a cumulative period of nine years is also contentious. “What is the point of having a cooling off period?” he asked. “If I am joint secretary for three years, I should be eligible to be a secretary in the next term as it would ensure seamless transition and maintain continuity,” Shah argued.

However, he hopes that the Supreme Court will consider reviewing the reforms that are slated to be in effect in the near future. “We are hopeful that the interim applications filed by 18 state associations can lead to a positive outcome,” he concluded.