BCCI threatens to defy CoA’s meeting order

CHENNAI: Just as it seemed like things were going to be calm until July 5, when Supreme Court is expected to pass an order in the BCCI reforms case, members of the board and those running it find themselves back on a collision course.Reacting strongly to a notice issued by acting BCCI secretary Amitabh Choudhary that informs members of a special general meeting in New Delhi on June 22, the court-appointed administrators (CoA) sent out a mail to BCCI office-bearers and staff, asking them to not prepare for any such meeting.

BCCI then sent out a message to the units saying the SGM should go ahead, adding that the CoA directive doesn't have legal support. The said notice has been issued in violation of the directions dated 15th March 2018, issued by the CoA, specifically Paragraph 10 thereof which inter alia requires notice of any meeting of the BCCI general body to be issued only with the prior approval of the CoA (sic), says the CoA mail in possession of Express.

The approval of CoA has neither been sought nor provided in relation to the SGM to be held on 22nd June, it adds.BCCI's response to this suggests that there is going to be confrontation. In my view, its (CoA's mail) contents are without jurisdiction and don't have any support in law or legal pronouncements, said another mail from an official, circulated among members. If they defy CoA's order and go ahead with the meeting, it will have to be reported to Supreme Court, which is closed for summer vacation. The matter looks complicated and it's possible that BCCI members are trying to take advantage of CoA's limitations.CoA had refrained BCCI members from holding any meeting without its approval.

It had also directed the office-bearers and sub-committees to inform it of the outcome of those meetings, as and when they were held with permission. Without its ratification, no decision taken in such meetings are supposed to be final.A majority of BCCI members think that this diktat is against the rights of the state associations. BCCI is a democratic body and it's the right of the units to hold meetings to discuss important matters. If there is a directive that decisions taken in these meetings will have to be approved by CoA, we can follow that. But telling us to not hold meetings doesn't sound right, said Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) president Anand Jaiswal.

It can be noted that VCA was the first of the very few units to have amended its constitution as per court orders.BCCI members are aggrieved that CoA recently took a host of decisions ignoring the respective committees, which used to deal with these earlier. The 10-point agenda for the proposed SGM includes player remuneration, restructuring of National Cricket Academy and ICC matters. Preempting it, CoA has asked BCCI staff to not prepare any papers in respect of the said SGM . What it does if members go against its order has to be seen.

atreyo@newindianexpress.com