CoA seeks SC directive to sack the BCCI top brass

Chaos brews in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) once again as the Committee of Administrators (CoA) has sought a directive from the Supreme Court to remove the current Indian cricket board office bearers once again.

Last year, because of their refusal to implement the Lodha committee’s reforms, a similar step was taken which resulted in the removal of the top brass officials former president, Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke. This time, the CoA has sought the removal of acting president CK Khanna and secretary Amitabh Choudhary, for non-compliance of the Lodha Panel‘s reforms. In its fifth status report submitted to the Supreme Court, the CoA has also sought the dismissal of treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry.

The two member committee, comprising of former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai and ex-India women’s cricket team captain Diana Edulji, believes that the office bearers had “misconstrued” the SC directives to oust CEO Rahul Johri from last month’s Special General Meeting.

The root of the issue

In a scathing 26-page report submitted in the apex court, the CoA asked that “governance, management and administration” of the board be handed over to them along with a professional group headed by CEO Rahul Johri till the elections are held.

“It is only fair that the current office-bearers be treated in the same manner because a further period of six months have elapsed since the said office-bearers submitted their undertakings and reforms mandated by Hon’ble Court have still not been implemented,” stated the report. “It is clear that current office-bearers are not in position to make good on their undertakings and ensure that reforms mandated by this Hon’ble Court is implemented,” it read, as reported by Times of India.

The initial committee comprised of Rai, Ramachandra Guha, Vikram Limaye, and Edulji. They all interacted with Johri for supervision and functioning of the board, but now because of the stepping down of Guha and Limaye, the responsibility lies on Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji.