Board passing through turbulent times: Shashank Manohar

Says BCCI needs to improve its efficiency and transparency in governance

BCCI president Shashank Manohar had made a fervent appeal to the Board's members ahead of its 86th AGM to lend their support to a few decisions which, according to him, were needed to protect the autonomy of the Board during its difficult times.

"My second term as the President is more challenging as the Board is passing through turbulent times. It is necessary for all the members to support certain decisions which are required to be taken to protect the interest of the Board in maintaining its autonomy," Manohar wrote in its annual report.

He also referred to the difficult times the BCCI was passing through, apparently referring to the 2013 IPL spot-fix scandal that resulted in the Supreme Court forming the Justice Mudgal panel to probe it followed by the Justice Lodha panel which decided on quantum of punishment to those found guilty by the former panel.

"The BCCI needs to improve its efficiency and transparency in governance and a great deal of accountability is required from the members as to how the BCCI funds are used," he wrote.

He has mentioned that as a first step in this cleaning up operation to signal more transparency the Board "has started sharing all information regarding rules and regulations on the BCCI website."

Making a strong pitch for framing conflict of interest rules, all of which were subsequently passed by the general body unanimously as he announced after the AGM yesterday, he felt these were necessary to restore the cricket lovers' faith.

"I seek your support to bring about certain amendments in the rules and regulations, frame rules of conflict of interest, frame rules for accreditation for Player Managers. I have to request you to make best endeavours to work towards eradicating corruption from the game of cricket at the state level and assist the BCCI in its efforts to restore the faith of the cricket loving public in cricket," Manohar wrote.

BCCI secretary, Anurag Thakur, also touched upon the fact that the Board had gone through tough phases with the previous year's AGM having been put off "several times" before it was held on March 2, 2015 in his annual report.