Internet Desk: Former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah’s inclusion in the BCCI’s panel to implement the Lodha reforms has been looked as eyewash by many insiders in the board. Shah was added to the seven member committee as a special invitee. Shah’s inclusion in itself raises serious doubts over BCCI’s seriousness about adopting the reforms.
Shah, who has been associated with the Sourashtra Cricket Association for over forty decades is regarded as a very respected administrator in the board. But the problem with his inclusion is that the Supreme Court’s order has clearly stated that no individuals over 70 years of age and/or have served more than nine years as an office-bearer either in a state association or the BCCI can be in any committee of BCCI. Still, the current BCCI regime has included Shah, overlooking Supreme Court’s order.
The senior administrator has questioned why there is so much fuss about his inclusion in the committee. “I do not know why there is so much fuss about this age bar. In every sphere of life you see people running the show, even the President of our country is over 70 years. I am involved in the BCCI for over four decades and so my inputs will be very important,” said Shah to xtratime.in
Shah was also not happy with the one state one vote rule prescribed by the Lodha committee. “Look what matters for the BCCI is how is the oragnisation and the cricket team is being run. As long as the team is doing well and our coffers are filling up, it is fine. As far as one state one vote is concerned, Sourashtra Cricket Association has been one of the oldest state bodies like the Mumbai Cricket Association. I do not have any objection if a new member is included.”
Shah, a former BCCI secretary, has been one of the vocal critics of the proposed reforms, especially the eligibility criteria and the one-state-one-vote clause. However, on Wednesday, he played safe when asked about his role in the Special Committee. “I think my experience will come handy in the panel as we have discussed the recommendations at length during the BCCI SGM. Though all members will have a say,” he said further with the panel’s first meeting to study Lodha reforms scheduled in New Delhi on Saturday.
The committee has been asked to suggest future course of action with regard to implementation by July 10. If the committee confirms to the BCCI hierarchy that it can actually suggest a plan of action before the next apex court hearing on July 14, then the BCCI will have to convene another general body meeting before the court hearing.
It would be interesting to see how the other members react to Shah’s inputs in the first meeting on July 1 in Delhi.