The Supreme Court today allayed BCCI's apprehension that it will face ICC's ire for carrying out drastic restructuring of the Board by including a CAG nominee into it saying the appointment under the judicial order does not amount to government interference.
The apex court's assurance came after senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for the BCCI, said implementing the Justice R M Lodha Committee recommendation to include CAG's nominee in the Board will go against the rules of the ICC.
To this the bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice F M I Kalifulla said whether BCCI apprehends that ICC may suspend it if a CAG nominee is appointed in the apex council.
"The CAG nominee will not be exactly the government person, he will be a court appointed official in the board, then why there will any problems to ICC," the bench said.
However, when Venugopal said that ICC rules clearly say that no government interference should be there in the functioning of boards, the bench said, "You are discharging a public function. You want free hand while dealing with crores of rupees.
"Where is the government interference with the board? He (nominee) will be appointed by the authority of the court. What is the worry in that," the bench asked.
It asked the BCCI to tell ICC that the CAG nominee has been appointed by the Supreme Court to only look after any irregularities and misappropriation if any in the board.
"Our interference doesn't mean, government's interference," the bench said and added that it may consider the suggestion at a later stage that the nominee should have an advisory role in the board.
