Supreme Court go ahead for 'One State One Vote' policy in BCCI

NEW DELHI: The recommendations by Justice R M Lodha panel do not affect the composition of state cricket associations, the Supreme Court today said while upholding 'one state one vote' policy suggested by the committee reducing the role of five full members to associate members.

A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur also directed that three cricket clubs each in Maharashtra - Mumbai Cricket Association, Maharashtra Cricket Association, Vidarbha Cricket Association, and in Gujarat - Gujarat Cricket Association, Baroda cricket Association and Saurashtra Cricket Association - would enjoy full membership on rotational basis annually.

It also made it clear that this arrangement of rotational membership shall continue till the time the clubs/associations come together to form a single entity, if such a unification was to ever become a reality.

The apex court accepted the panel's recommendation that reduces Railways Sports Promotion Board, Association of Indian Universities, Services Sports Control Board, National Cricket Club (Kolkata) and Cricket Club of India (Bombay) from full membership of BCCI to the status of Associate Members as they do not have a specific geographical territory.

"Recommendations made by the Committee do not interfere with or alter the composition of State Cricket Associations. Individual citizens who came together to form State Associations have not been asked to discontinue nor do the recommendations impose upon their members an obligation to associate with others with whom they don't wish to associate.

"Composition of the State Cricket Associations remain unaffected, and so does the right of those forming such Associations under Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution," the bench also comprising Justice F M I Kalifulla said.

Regarding the 'one state one vote policy' as recommended by the committee, the bench said it has "a two-fold impact on the current state of affairs in BCCI".

"This is a measure which has been recommended with a view to structurally streamline the BCCI to make it more responsive and accountable having regard to the aspiration of different regions for an equal opportunity to participate in the growth and promotion of the game in the country.

"The fact that clubs including the Railways Sports Promotion Board, Association of Indian Universities and Services Sports Control Board do not represent any region nor do they receive any monetary benefit is, in our view, a good enough reason for converting their full membership to associate membership," it said while clarifying that the right to vote will remain confined to full members representing definite geographical regions or territories.