Family Time In BCCI - This Former MCA President Highlights How Lodha Reforms Have 'Fallen Flat'

The basic tenet of Justice RM Lodha panel's constitutional reforms for Indian cricket has fallen flat after most of state units are being controlled by family members of disqualified office-bearers, feels former Maharashtra Cricket Association president member Abhay Apte.  Former BCCI president N Srinivasan will continue to rule Tamil Nadu cricket through his daughter Rupa. Niranjan Shah's son Jaydev is Saurashtra unit's secretary, Anurag Thakur's brother Arun is HPCA supremo, tainted and jailed Ashirbad Behera's son Sanjay is new secretary of Odisha CA. Not to forget Baroda where Chirayu Amin's son Pranav is the new president and in Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot's son Keshav is taking over.     

"Yes, we have finally understood what precisely were  the reforms suggested by Hon Justice Lodha Committee," Apte, who was a prominent member of BCCI legal committee, told PTI on Wednesday. Apte, a lawyer by profession, who was also a member of the BCCI's legal committee, sarcastically said that he has now "understood" what Lodha Panel's basic tenet of "no concentration of power and no multiple terms" meant. "No concentration of power and no multiple terms. Yes, we have now understood  that. It means that the same person in the family cannot keep the control of an association in his hands for ever. No way. He has to give it to the other member of his family . May be his son, daughter, brother etc etc," Apte's sarcasm was sharp.  

Also Read | Maharashtra Cricket Association adopts Lodha panel reforms

Conflict of Interest was always about perception more than legality as the trend of state unit elections or rather selections indicate. "And it's perfectly fine and legal. All are happy. No concentration of power and no multiple terms and of course no conflict!"

Also Read | BCCI partially adopts Lodha panel reforms; count out age gap, tenure and 3 other key points 

He made a tongue in cheek remark about a possible "next set of reforms" for Indian cricket.  "May be in the next set of reforms the exact succession can also be laid down . Like Indian succession act we can have one for Indian cricket."  

In fact, what amuses Apte is the fact that it's the cricketers only, who have bore the maximum brunt of these 'Conflict of Interest' charges. The great cricketers like Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, who served Indian cricket with distinction but are facing alleged conflict charges (of course there are rules for that) should quickly learn from this. After all the  rules must be followed.

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