SC warns BCCI officials over draft constitution

The Supreme Court on Thursday warned the top three office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) against stalling the process of drawing up a draft constitution for the sports body. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Dipak Misra told the officials to submit their suggestions on the constitution to the court - appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) within three weeks or face severe consequences.

The COA is in the process of drafting a constitution for the BCCI. It was appointed by court after the Justice Lodha committee, also constituted by the top court, recommended reforms in the sports body to make its affairs accountable and transparent. Thursday’s order came after the COA, through senior advocate Parag Tripathi, complained that the BCCI officials had so far stalled the order to submit their suggestions on the draft constitution.

The board has been reluctant to accept some of the suggestions by the Lodha panel, such as the ones limiting the terms and setting an age limit for the office-bearers.

While the board termed these as unrealistic, the Lodha panel suggested that implementing the recommendations was the only way to make the BCCI more accountable and transparent in its functioning, and eliminate conflicts of interest.

The BCCI was initially asked to come up with a draft constitution, but the COA complained that the cash-rich board was avoiding it.

The bench asked BCCI acting president CK Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, who were present in court, to give their suggestions on the draft constitution within three weeks. They were also asked to remain present at the next hearing on October 30.

They were asked to make suggestions including on issues such as one-state-one vote, membership status for Railways, Services and Universities, and a cap on the number of national selectors.