Srinivasan, who was disqualified from taking part in any BCCI-related functions, attended the Special General Meeting (SGM) scheduled by the BCCI to oversee the Lodha reforms. Niranjan Shah, who does not qualify for the 70 years age-limit clause of the reforms, was also a part of the 7-member committee.

According to TOI reports, Srinivasan wasted 30% of the time of the meeting and apparently tried to disrupt its flow with Shah’s support. The CoA claimed that the duo tried to oppose CoA’s transparency resolutions in the meeting and spread chaos.

“How can a person disqualified by virtue of apex court order be nominated as a nominee of state cricket associations and attend the meeting of BCCI?” a bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra questioned.

In case you didn’t know…

The special committee, which had seven members, discussed the Lodha reforms last Saturday (July 1).

Former IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla presided over the meeting. The committee also comprised Amitabh Choudhary (convener), Sourav Ganguly, TC Mathew, Naba Bhattacharjee, Jay Shah, Anirudh Chaudhry and Niranjan Shah.

The details

The agenda of the committee was to “identify the few critical points in respect of the said judgement for the general body of the BCCI to consider before its submission to the Supreme Court”.

The four points from the Lodha committee that the members discussed included the cooling off period, one state one vote, balance of jurisdiction in roles of office-bearers and cooling off period for apex council. This meeting was, according to the CoA, hijacked by Srinivasan as he kept declaring that none of the recommendations could be implemented.

What’s next?

The Supreme Court declared that it would decide on the issue on July 24. Kapil Sibal, who represented Srinivasan before the court, claimed that the allegations are nothing but an effect of ‘Srinivasan phobia’ that the CoA faces. He also went on to say that the CoA filed the suit only to find a way to throw mud in Srinivasan’s way.

Apparently Srinivasan attended the meeting as a TNCA representative.

Meanwhile, SC has accepted the unconditional apology that was sent to it by former BCCI president Anurag Thakur. All charges of contempt and criminal proceedings against him have now been dropped.

Author’s take

Ever since the Lodha Committee was formed by the SC, there has been one controversy or the other that has come the BCCI’s way. It’s time for the Supreme Court to make a definitive judgement on the 24th and not hesitate to press even punitive charges.

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