SC modifies BCCI ‘one state, one vote’ policy, grants permanent membership to MCA

The Supreme Court modified its earlier order on the 'one state, one vote' policy for Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) members on Thursday and granted permanent membership of the board to the cricket associations of Mumbai, Saurashtra, Vadodara and Vidarbha.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra also approved the draft constitution of the cash-rich apex cricket body in the country with certain modifications and asked the registrar general of Tamil Nadu Societies to bring on record the approved BCCI constitution within four weeks.

The bench, also comprising Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud, restored permanent membership to Railways, Services and Universities.

It also directed state cricket associations to adopt the BCCI constitution within 30 days and warned them that non-compliance would invite action in accordance with its earlier order.

Dealing with the issue of a cooling-off period and disqualification of BCCI office-bearers, the bench said a person would have to go through a cooling-off period after holding a post in the board for two consecutive terms.

On July 5, the apex court had restrained all the state cricket bodies from holding elections till it pronounced the verdict on finalisation of the draft constitution of the BCCI.

In the earlier hearing, the counsel for Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) had opposed the cooling-off period for the office bearers suggested by the Justice (Retd) R M Lodha-led panel and said there should be continuity of experience. He had also objected to the age cap of 70 years for office bearers as suggested by the panel.

The top court had earlier asked state cricket associations and BCCI office-bearers to give suggestions on the draft constitution for the apex cricket body to the amicus, saying these have to be in tune with the Lodha panel recommendations and its verdict.

The Justice Lodha panel had recommended a slew of structural reforms in BCCI which were approved by the apex court. The court had approved these recommendations, including 'one state, one vote', 'one member, one post' and fixing an age cap of 70 years on those occupying BCCI posts.

The Lodha panel was formed in January 2015 in the wake of the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee report that called for reforms in the BCCI. The Mudgal panel had gone into the state of affairs of the BCCI, following the 2013 IPL betting and spot-fixing controversy.

The court had in its July 18, 2016 verdict accepted most of the recommendations of the Lodha committee to reform the BCCI following charges of large-scale maladministration in the cash-rich cricket body.