SC adjourns BCCI hearing on Lodha reforms until July 4

The three-judge bench of Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, on Friday adjourned the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hearing on the implementation of Justice (Retd.) R.M Lodha-led panel reforms until July 4.

Earlier, the apex court had agreed to reconsider 'one state, one vote' mandate that quashed the voting rights of regional affiliates of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The Supreme Court had made the decision keeping in view the fact that cricket associates and former great players of many states have played historic roles which cannot be left out.

The reconsideration means that if the 2016 judgment is reversed, the states with multiple cricket associations such as Gujarat and Maharashtra can vote on a rotational basis.

The top court had also made it clear that until it finalises the BCCI constitution, no state association can hold elections.

As a result, the election for the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) were also put on hold until May 11, the date of next hearing.

On Thursday, acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary had declared that twelve state associations of the BCCI had informed the Supreme Court that they are ready to implement the recommendation barring four exceptions.

The 12 state associations that have sent the undertaking are Andhra, Assam, Goa, Jharkhand, Kerala, Mumbai, Rajasthan, Railways, Tripura, Universities, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Association of Indian Universities.

These associations are finding it difficult to implement four reforms i.e one state, one vote, the three-year cooling-off period after a term, the constitution of the apex council and distribution of power and duties between elected council and BCCI officials.

In a landmark judgment on July 18, 2016, the SC had accepted major recommendations of Justice (Retd.) R.M. Lodha-led panel on structural reforms in the BCCI-- including one state, one vote, 'one member, one post' and fixing a 70-year age-cap on those occupying BCCI posts.