Supreme Court to hear Cricket Association of Bihar’s plea on Lodha panel report on December 9

The Supreme Court will hear the Cricket Association of Bihar’s (CAB) pleaseeking a direction to BCCI to implement Lodha panelsuggestions on December 9.

The plea will also include appointment of ex-home secretary G KPillai as observer and sacking of all office bearers who arein violation of its recommendations.

The matter, which was listed for Monday, could not be takenup as Chief Justice T S Thakur, heading the bench concerned,did not hold the court. The case has now been listed forDecember 9.

The apex court had on November 25 agreed to hear CAB’splea after perusing the third status report submitted byJustice R M Lodha committee on BCCI reforms.

In the status report submitted on November 14, the Lodhapanel has sought a direction to appoint Pillai as an observerto “guide” BCCI in administrative works including award ofcontracts, transparency norms and holding of future domestic,international and IPL matches.

The committee has also sought a declaration from the courtthat all office bearers of cash-rich BCCI and state cricketbodies, who are in violation of laid down norms with regard to70 year age cap, citizenship and tenures, “cease to holdoffice forthwith”.

On July 18, the apex court had accepted almost all majorrecommendations of the Lodha committee on reforms in BCCIincluding a bar on ministers and civil servants and thoseabove 70 from becoming its members, but left it to Parliamentto decide whether it should come under RTI and betting on thegame should be legalised.

It had also accepted the recommendations of the committeeto have a CAG nominee in BCCI and had rejected BCCI’sobjection to recommendations for one-state-one-vote.

The court had also accepted the recommendation that oneperson should hold one post in cricket administration to avoidany conflict of interest and scrapping of all otheradministrative committees in BCCI after the CAG nominee comesin.