Auditor, historian to run BCCI

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday appointed a four-member committee headed by former comptroller and auditor general Vinod Rai to administer the day to day affairs of the BCCI.

Rejecting the arguments by BCCI and several state associations that the July 2016 judgement was difficult to be implemented, Justice Misra said, “The order has to be complied with. We have to take it forward.”

Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi who appeared for Railway Sports Promotion Board, Services Sports Control Board and All India Universities sought recall of the July 18, 2016 order. He submitted that these three members of BCCI, who had full membership earlier, now stand relegated and down-graded to associate member status without voting rights as per the Lodha Committees “one state-one vote” recommendation. He wanted the secretary, Union ministry of sports should be included in the committee of administrators.

Mr Kapil Sibal, appearing for three state associations, joined the AG said the order of one association one vote should be recalled as it affected three associations each in Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Counsel argued that since state associations had been set up under the Societies Registration Act, Companies Act or under the Trust Act, the members cannot be removed without amending these provisions. Further, he pointed out that the July 18 order did not apply to State associations as it pertained only to the BCCI.

The court in its order said these issues are being deferred for the present and will be considered on the next date of hearing on March 27. For once, there was a deafening silence from former players, administrators and talking heads about the Supreme Court’s step, which will see the group of four take charge with immediate effect and liaise with BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri on its functioning. He will report to the committee. Johri will meanwhile, oversee the daily administration of the board after he was put in charge in an interim order on January 20 until the committee was appointed.

It was also confirmed that Limaye, along with existing BCCI office-bearers Amitabh Choudhury (acting secretary) and Anirudh Chaudhary (treasurer) will attend the quarterly round of the International Cricket Council’s meetings in Dubai between February 2 and 5. “This is my first foray into cricket administration,” the banker was  quoted as saying.

“Obviously, I will speak to my colleagues in BCCI,  understand the philosophy of the Board and also analyse and view the circumstances of the past,” he said.

“There are a lot of things that we need to sit down and figure out as to how we will be going about our job,” said Limaye, an alumni of the world famous Wharton School of Business.