BCCI opposes Lodha panel recommendations

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday sought the permission of Supreme Court to approach the Justice RM Lodha panel again to persuade them to make changes in their report which recommended landslide changes in the BCCI's constitution and structure.

The BCCI has opposed the 'one state, one vote' recommendation - arguing that the board's membership structure is historically based on levels of cricketing activity and not the geographical limits of states. States like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Bengal have multiple bodies governing cricket - all of which are members of the BCCI.

The BCCI has also opposed the induction of a CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) nominee and wants ministers and government members on its board.

The Supreme Court, meanwhile, has asked for the details of amount allocated to state cricket  associations in the last five years and if there was developmental plan for spending the money.

The court has set March 18 as the next date of hearing of the case.

The BCCI had filed an affidavit in the court opposing some of the recommendations made in the Lodha panel report.

The BCCI had convened a special general meeting at its headquarters in February and the members authorised secretary Anurag Thakur to file an affidavit in the apex court on the board's behalf, pointing out the anomalies and difficulties encountered in the implementation of the recommendations.

The panel had suggested changes that included legalisation of betting, BCCI to come under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and that the board's office-bearers can not have more than two consecutive terms. It also suggested separate governing bodies for the IPL and BCCI and that in no case a board president can hold the post for more than 2 years.