Lodha committee proposes sweeping reforms for BCCI

The Supreme Court-mandated Lodha Committee, headed by former CJI RM Lodha, is all set to propose extensive measures to revamp the functioning of BCCI. The Indian cricket governing body would have spend some anxious moments, in anticipation whether the apex court will make the recommendations binding or not. “With the interactions we had, except few it was broadly represented to us that one state as a unit of representation in BCCI is a very fair idea”, Lodha said as he gave detailed explanations for the recommendations. One association from each state should be a member of the BCCI, said Lodha. He will be assisted by six professional managers.

The role of former IPL COO Sundar Raman in the 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal too comes into focus, with the Lodha Committee expected to advise suitable punishment for the former administrator. Each office bearer will have a tenure of three years, and no office bearer can hold the office for more than three terms – with the rider that there will be a “cooling off period” after each term.

Other important changes suggested by the panel include limited autonomy for the IPL governing council, the formation of a players’ association to be given highest representation at the board and the appointment of three independent officials to look into the three contentious areas within the BCCI – conflict of interest, dispute resolution and election processes.

The three-member committee comprising Justice (Retd) RM Lodha, Justice (Retd) Ashok Bhan and Justice (Retd) RV Raveendran submitted their report to the apex court.

No BCCI office-bearer can have more than two consecutive terms, says Lodha panel.

“As regards the office bearers of BCCI – president, VP, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer, certain eligibility criteria have been fixed”.

“We have recommended a uniformity in the structure and constitution of state associations, with recommendations like the associations must not have office for life, or office for more than nine years”. They also lose voting rights.