Lodha panel for separate BCCI, IPL governing bodies

New Delhi, January 4

The Justice RM Lodha Committee on Monday proposed separate governing bodies for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian Premier League (IPL) in a bid to partially segregate their functioning, while also suggesting a one-state-one-member pattern for the board.

Submitting its report to the Supreme Court, the three-member committee comprising its former chief justice, Justice Lodha, as also Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice R.V. Raveendran - former judges of the apex court - suggested reforms in the Indian cricket board and announced a slew of measures, among them that the IPL governing body should be of nine members with the secretary and the treasurer of the BCCI as its ex-officio members.

Two other members of the IPL governing council will be nominated or elected by the full members. Of the remaining five, two will be the nominees of franchises, one will be a representative of the players association (that is to be formed) and one will a nominee of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

Among other key recommendations, the panel stressed that one representation for one state is a fair idea and one association of each state will be a full member of the BCCI and have a right to vote. Other members from a state, or those without territory or competitive presence -- Services, Railways, CCI, NCC -- were relegated to associate status without voting rights in the BCCI.

The Lodha panel also recommended the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to manage the day-to-day affairs of the BCCI. The CEO will be assisted by six professional managers. The Lodha panel said the CEO and his managers will be responsible to an apex council that will be comprised of nine members -- five elected, two representatives of players association, and one woman.

 The Lodha committee has also sought to put some restrictions on the BCCI office-bearers: they should not be aged more than 70, should not be ministers or government servants - and cannot hold office for more than three terms, with a "cooling-off" period between terms.

Lodha reckoned that a robust agent registration system would safeguard players. There will be a steering committee to include former star all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath, former India women's captain Diana Eduljee, and legendary leg-spinner and former Test skipper Anil Kumble. They will take up matter with BCCI for formation of players' association in light of suggestions from the report.

Lodha said the panel prepared an extensive questionnaire and interviewed several BCCI office bearers, stakeholders in Indian cricket, former national captains, including Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Kumble to finalise its report.

—IANS