BCCI gets ombudsman, 3rd CoA member

Tribune News Service
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 21

The Supreme Court has appointed Justice (Retd) DK Jain as the ombudsman for BCCI after all the parties agreed on the name of the former top court judge.

BCCI’s new constitution requires the appointment of an ombudsman in order to provide an independent dispute resolution mechanism.

“We are happy to note that by consent, the parties have suggested and have agreed on the name of Justice DK Jain, a former judge of this court, as an ombudsman,” said an order by the Bench of Justice SA Bobde and Justice AM Sapre. “We, accordingly, appoint Justice (Retd) DK Jain as the first ombudsman under article 40, chapter nine of the constitution of BCCI framed by this court under order dated August 9, 2018.”

The most immediate task of the ombudsman could be to look at the Hardik Pandya-KL Rahul controversy. After making sexist comments during a TV interview early last month, the two had been suspended and sent back to India from Australia. However, the suspension was provisionally lifted on January 24 and the two were allowed to return to cricket. The Committee of Administrators (CoA) sought the early appointment of an ombudsman to decide the fate of the two cricketers. Interestingly, in today’s order, the Supreme Court Bench disapproved of the sparring between CoA head Vinod Rai and member Diana Edulji, observing that the two should not air their differences in public. The Bench also appointed Lt Gen (Retd) Ravi Thodge as the third member of CoA. During the hearing, Narasimha told the Bench that if BCCI had an ombudsman last month, the controversy over sexist remarks by Pandya and Rahul could have been resolved on an urgent basis.

First choice

Justice Jain emerged as the first choice among six former Supreme Court judges whose names were placed before the Bench in an envelope by amicus curiae PS Narasimha. The Bench observed that “Justice Jain is a good name”, and advocates appearing for various parties unanimously accepted the suggestion. In its 10th status report to the Supreme Court, CoA had said that there was an immediate need for the appointment of an ombudsman and ethics officer in BCCI, before fresh elections. Before the new constitution came into effect, former Delhi High Court Chief Justice AP Shah was appointed BCCI’s ombudsman in November 2015, and he held office until late 2016.