Lodha panel row: BCCI to convene emergency SGM on Oct 15 to discuss interim order passed by SC

Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to hold an emergency Special General Meeting (SGM) on October 15 in New Delhi to discuss the interim order passed by the Supreme Court on Lodha panel recommendations last week.

The apex court had asked the country`s cricket board and state association to respond by October 17 on whether they would "unconditionally" comply with the Lodha Committee`s recommendations or not, ESPNcricinfo reported.

It will be a second such emergency meeting called by the BCCI in the last two weeks. In its last SGM on October 1, the board had accepted many of the "significant recommendations" of the Lodha Committee, however, it excluded the important ones which have been bone of contention between the cricket body and the Lodha Panel.

Last Friday, the three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur had barred the BCCI from releasing funds to the 12 state associations unless they pass a resolution to implement the Lodha panel reforms.

The top court, during the hearing, had also asked BCCI president Anurag Thakur to file a personal affidavit on details of his conversation with ICC Chief David Richardson regarding the Lodha panel recommendations.

Earlier this month, the Justice (Retd.) R.M Lodha-led committee had submitted its status report with the Supreme Court, accusing the BCCI of defying the apex court`s orders and stalling its proposed reforms. It also recommended the ouster of the entire top brass of the cash-rich cricket body.

In its report, the apex court-appointed panel had stated that the BCCI was not implementing its recommendations aimed at reforming the country`s cricket governing body.

The move came after the BCCI appointed a five-member selection committee during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 21, which was in violation to the Lodha panel`s guidelines.

The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member committee, include one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and keeping to retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board.

Defending its action, the BCCI said, "a meeting comprising all members took place, and several recommendations of the Lodha Committee were rejected by voting".