Lodha clears air on BCCI accounts; India-NZ series to go on as planned

He clarifies accounts weren't frozen, BCCI wasn't barred from using funds for daily activities and for organising matches

After a day of confusion and contemplation about the fate if the ongoing India-NZ test series, Justice R M Lodha has clarified that the Lodha Committee has not stopped the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from using funds for ongoing matches and/or scheduled series.

In an interview with NDTV, Justice Lodha said, “I don’t think there is any reason to cancel that (the India-NZ series). As I explained, they are free to deal with the funds, for the incurring expenses on matches in the ongoing series, so I don’t find any reason or justification for cancellation of any match. There is no question. No well-wisher of the game would like the game to be affected. The game must go on. Matches must go on. And for that, whatever expenses are required to be incurred, they are free to do that.”

He added, “Our email is very clear and should there be any confusion in the mind of the BCCI, and they seek any clarification, we will do that readily. But otherwise, now we intend to clarify that our email does not put any constraint on the BCCI in so far as ongoing series or scheduled series or matches or game is concerned.”

The Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel had "directed" banks, where BCCI holds accounts, not to disburse "large" funds to the state associations, a decision taken by the Board at its Special General Meeting on September 30. In response, the BCCI has threatened to cancel the on-going series, citing inability to disburse funds in order to do so. However, the Lodha Committee chairman refuted this with the clarification.

On Tuesday, the Indian Express newspaper quoted an unnamed board official as saying that the BCCI's accounts had been frozen and that the rest of the New Zealand series would have to be scrapped.

"How can we function, how can we hold any games now?" the official said. "Who will make the payment? Freezing a bank account is no joke. An international team is here, and there is so much at stake."

Following this, former chief justice R M Lodha also clarified that the board's accounts had not been frozen.