Lodha Panel to meet BCCI CEO, state cricket bodies today

Panel is expected to seek clarity on matters with state bodies position about its recommendations

The Supreme Court appointed Lodha Panel is holding a meeting on Wednesday to chalk out the future course of action for Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Representatives of all state cricket associations and BCCI’s chief executive officer Rahul Johri are expected to attend the crucial meet to seek advice from the panel on various matters, after the SC last week cracked down on them.

In today’s meet the three members Lodha panel, headed by former chief justice of India R M Lodha, is expected to seek clarity on matters like the state bodies position about complying with its recommendations. Till now 21 cricket associations have agreed to comply with the committee’s recommendations unconditionally.

The various recommendations that it proposed to bring transparency in the sport management have led to disruption. Rules like one state one vote have led to changes in voting rights for larger bodies like Maharashtra Cricket Association, Mumbai Cricket Association, Saurashtra Cricket Association, Gujarat Cricket Association and Vidarbha Cricket Association, among others, as their permanent voting rights now cease to exist.

As no person over the age of 70 years or who have held office bearers post in any cricket body for nine years already cannot be a member again. This has caused significant ripple in the associations. A large number of members have become ineligible and now have to vacate their posts. State cricket bodies are expected to seek Lodha Panel’s advice on how to refill the vacated posts.

The upcoming limited over cricket series between India and England which starts from January 15 will be on the agenda. Put together six matches (three ODIs & three T20s) are scheduled to be played in Pune (15 Jan), Cuttack (19 Jan), Kolkata (22 Jan), Kanpur (26 Jan), Nagpur29 Jan) and Bengaluru (1 Feb). As many of the office bearers in cricket associations for these venues no longer hold their posts, changes in charge of allocation of funds and conducting of matches have to be effected immediately. Lodha Panel is expected to issue advisory to the board and state bodies on how and who performs these duties in the coming weeks.

Johri, who was appointed as the first ever CEO of the BCCI earlier in the year is now leading the board on an interim basis, after the SC removed its president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke last week. Lodha committee is expected to instruct Johri on Wednesday and ask him to run daily affairs. The outcomes from the meeting, which is slated to start this morning, will be clear in next few hours.