The Board of Control for Control In India (BCCI) will have to concede all financial powers to the Justice Lodha panel. The Supreme Court has asked the committee to engage experts who will vet all financial contracts before it's cleared by the panel. The country's richest sporting body will need approvals for all financial contracts related to domestic, international and Indian Premier League matches which will be held in 2017, from the Justice Lodha panel.
The only breather granted by the apex court to the BCCI is to disburse Rs 58.66 lakh for the Rajkot test match, which begins tomorrow.
Since the Lodha Committee cannot meet this early and it's an emergency situation we will allow disbursement of funds. But no funds will be given to Rajkot state association (Saurashtra Cricket Association). All payments will be done directly to vendors.SC Bench hearing BCCI's plea
The BCCI had approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning seeking urgent directions from the court, for disbursement of funds. The sporting body's counsel Kapil Sibal had argued that the India-England series will have to be cancelled if it can't transfer the funds for the first match in Rajkot.
The Supreme Court had passed an interim order in October barring the BCCI from releasing funds to state cricket associations till they implemented the reforms recommended by the Lodha panel.
Seeking The Court's Intervention:
Senior advocate and Amicus Curiae to the case, Gopal Subramaniam urged the apex Court to restrict BCCI and its members from making "derogatory remarks" against the Justice Lodha Panel.
Gopal Shankarnarayan, secretary of the Justice Lodha panel, informed the Court about several media statements made by the BCCI and termed them as "constant insults" and highly inappropriate.
The Lodha committee also raised objections to remarks made by former apex court judge, Markandey Katju against the committee and the judiciary in his report to the BCCI.
Justice Lodha committee had approached the Supreme Court seeking a complete overhaul of the BCCI top brass with new administrators from the field of cricket and the judiciary, replacing the current office bearers. This plea came after the sporting body refused to comply with the apex court's order.
The apex Court will now hear all these cases on December 3, 2016. Meanwhile, the individual cricket associations and the BCCI have been asked to submit undertakings highlighting the progress made in implementing the reforms suggested by the Justice Lodha panel, or face consequences.
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