BCCI SGM approves new player contracts

The tussle between the BCCI and the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) was out in the open in Friday's Special General Body meeting (SGM) where the board's office bearers and state association representatives expectedly approved the new contracts of the Indian players.

The BCCI also proposed an enhanced pay scale for domestic players in the meeting, which began with original petitioner in the IPL spot-fixing episode of 2013 Aditya Verma apologising to the members for having earlier criticised the working of the board.

However, the board contested the appointment of Ajit Singh as the new chief of the Anti-Corruption Unit and recommended an extension for incumbent Neeraj Kumar till a new appointment was made.

The board also rejected the Ranji status given to Uttarakhand by the CoA in a meeting last week and announced that two divisions will come into the Ranji system with the top 28 teams participating in the elite division and a plate division consisting of the likes of Bihar and North-Eastern states.

Commenting on the contracts being approved, BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said: "The general body has endorsed and authorised me to sign the contracts and proposed an increase in domestic cricket for both men and women once information is available to us."

"We do not have the agenda papers despite the notice saying all agenda papers should reach us," he added.

On the proposed hike of pay scale for domestic players, Choudhary said: "Player contract enhancement for domestic players has been proposed taking into consideration the inflation and all the other aspects as we feel these have made the actual value of money they get small."

"It will come into effect from the 2017-18 season and a holistic approach will be taken," he added.

Asked if the CoA would approve the decisions taken at the SGM, Choudhary said: "We have certain duties, the CoA has certain duties. We will continue to work under their supervision."

--IANS

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