Association election can't be stopped: BCCI tells Lodha panel

The BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke has responded to the letters sent by Lodha panel, stating that the parent body of Indian cricket cannot stop the state units from holding its elections.   

 The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) are not having their elections on scheduled date after Supreme Court-appointed panel sent a letter to BCCI to intimate associations that allstate unit elections to be put on hold. This was after the apex court verdict on July 18 as the reforms will take placein next six months.     

According to ESPN Cricinfo, Shirke wrote: "The BCCI is not empowered under any law to stop any electoral process which is mandated by any statute. Furthermore the Lodha Committee recommendations does not empower the BCCI tointerfere with statutory and fundamental rights of citizens who are members of such associations." 

However a source close to Committee maintains that BCCI were never ever asked to interfere in state units' electionsbut merely intimate about panel's decision that all elections will remain frozen till the reforms take place.     

"Yes, Ajay Shirke has replied to the letter that was sent to the BCCI office-bearers. Mr Shirke in his reply has statedthat BCCI cannot stop state associations from having elections. But no one has told BCCI to stop the units fromhaving elections. We have only said that they should intimate units that all elections are frozen. That stands," a sourceclose to Lodha Panel told PTI