Aditya Verma, secretary of the 'unclaimed' Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), will today argue in person before the Supreme Court against Bihar cricketers' exclusion from the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI's Ranji Trophy calendar.
In the recently released Ranji Trophy calendar, by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to state associations, Bihar and north-eastern states were not being included.
Reflecting on his case, Verma said that he has decided to fight his case in person seeing the pain in the eyes of the budding cricketers in Bihar.
"I am going to represent my case today. The pain I have been seeing in the eyes of the budding cricketers of Bihar, I have decided that I need to fight for the things they are entitled to," Verma told ANI.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will also hear the case of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the implementation of the Justice (Retd.) Lodha panel reforms in cricket administration.
Verma said that he would bring forth the ongoing verbal altercation between BCCI acting president CK Khanna and acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary.
More From This Section
He further insisted that he would also request the apex court to direct strict orders to Committee of Administration (CoA) chief Vinod Rai to work towards the implementations of Lodha reforms.
"The verbal altercation between CK Khanna and Amitabh Chaudhary is a proof in itself that there is no big conflict of interest than this in the board. Everyone is fighting for the chair. No one is bothered about the benefit of the board. I will also raise the issue before the Supreme Court that there should not be delay in the implementation of Lodha Panel recommendations, which the apex court has accepted in toto. I will also ask Supreme Court to issue a strict order to Vinod Rai to work towards the implementation of Lodha reforms," Verma said.
In a scathing letter to Khanna, Chaudhary had said that the acting president neither have a view, nor have interest in taking the reforms forward and is instead "unhesitatingly and enthusiastically" discharging his authority as president over trivial matters.
Choudhary had also alleged that Khanna doesn't take much interest in cricket matters and also responsible for BCCI's heavy spending on IPL tickets.
In response, Khanna had alleged that Choudhary levelled 'ludicrous' allegations against him over Lodha committee recommendations and other issues.
In a strong-worded reply, Khanna countered Choudhary's charge and said, "Your attempt to demonstrate that I have somehow been silent on the obligations placed on us with regard to the order and judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court is ludicrous."
Khanna also said that Choudhary very conveniently left out him (Khanna) from the special committee which was formed to weigh the pros and cons of the Lodha reforms.
As per the direction, the BBCCI had last week submitted the suggestions on the draft proposal prepared by Committee of Administrators (CoA) on the new constitution of the cricket body before the Supreme Court.
Issuing a warning to three BCCI office bearers - Anirudh Choudhary, Amitabh Choudhary and C.K. Khanna, the Supreme Court had asked the trio to give suggestions on the cash-rich cricket body's draft constitution or else face serious consequences.
The trio has been given a three-week deadline to give suggestions to CoA for a new constitution besides also being asked to personally appear before the court on October 30, the date of next hearing.
On August 23, the apex court had instructed the CoA to prepare a draft of the new constitution as per the Lodha panel recommendations.
The Supreme Court had then said that the draft constitution would be based on its directions of July 18, 2016.
In a landmark judgment on July 18, 2016, the Supreme Court accepted major recommendations of Justice R.M. Lodha-led panel on structural reforms in the BCCI and had given six months deadline to the board implement the recommendations.
On October 1 the same year, the board had accepted many of the "significant recommendations" of the Lodha Committee, but excluded the important ones which have been a bone of contention between the cricket body and the Lodha Panel.
The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board.