Chennai: Monday could be the D-day for Indian cricket board as the Supreme Court resumes its hearing on the logjam between the BCCI and the Lodha Committee.
The BCCI continues to oppose some of the key reforms suggested by the panel even after the apex court approved and directed the Board to implement the recommendations in its July 18 verdict.
At its latest SGM held in New Delhi, the BCCI and all its members except Tripura, Vidarbha and Hyderabad reiterated stance against reforms such as election and term of an office bearer, one-state-one vote, formation of an Apex Council to replace the existing working committee, and the role of the CEO etc. Vidarbha has a new association in place, complying with the Lodha recommendations. Tripura and Hyderabad have agreed to follow suit.
All eyes on Monday's hearing as Lodha Committee, in its latest status report, yet again recommended the court to remove all the cricketer administrators and also proposed that former home secretary G.K. Pillai's be appointed as an "observer" to ensure that SC orders are implemented in toto.
The Committee is also expected to reveal the contents of the affidavit filed by ICC president Shashank Manohar to clear the air on whether BCCI president Anurag Thakur has asked the global cricket body to intervene in the issue.
In its October 21 order, the court said "prima facie" that it was clear Thakur had asked Manohar for a letter, a matter of "serious concern". It asked the Lodha Committee to write to Manohar asking for an affidavit to "set the record straight". On December 5, the committee will reveal the contents of the affidavit in court.
The court had earlier asked Anurag Thakur and BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke to meet the Lodha committee within two weeks from the date of that order and submit an "affidavit of compliance", but the meeting didn't happen.
On November 5, Thakur said he was "rendered incapable" despite being "armed" with the court order and could not force the recommendations on the members who said any amendment to the BCCI constitution required a three-fourth majority by vote.Owing to the impasse, the Lodha panel hasn't appointed an auditor yet and the BCCI had to put off the IPL media rights tender that was to be opened on September 25.
