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Monday, October 14, 2024

Former BCCI officials eye rule by proxy

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: The former gatekeepers of Indian cricket administration, no longer in a position to decide who can enter and who cannot, are meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday evening to figure in what form and method can they retain the lock and key to the BCCI that’s been snatched away by the Supreme Court.

By virtue of the January 3 order, 90% of the BCCI administrators have been rendered powerless and are now ineligible to continue in any capacity. The question now on the top of their minds is if they can make way for a proxy to run Indian cricket going forward and retain power through shadow-boxing.bcci-logo

A number of former officials who represented various state units will meet today in Bengaluru to mull the recent SC order which ended their stints in the cash-rich body and to evaluate legal options before them.

The meeting is seen as the coming together of various fractions of the BCCI especially former presidents N Srinivasan and Anurag Thakur (although the latter is not likely to attend the meeting in person for fear of contempt). Ex-secretary Ajay Shirke, however, is likely to attend.

“Everybody is now looking up to Srini to show them the way forward. They all wanted him out in 2013. Now they all want him to lead the way,” a source tracking the developments said.

TOI had reported on January 3 about the fear of proxies taking over Indian cricket administration. When asked for details of the meeting, Srinivasan told this paper: “It’s nothing but a few sacked employees meeting for a cup of coffee!” While the Tamil Nadu big-wig may not be so forthcoming right now, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. “We are almost like those union leaders who have been thrown out of office. We have to think of fallback options. Years of hard work is set to be undone…the SC order, of course, is very tight but we have to think what we can do,” a source said. “All the associations who have been affected will come for this meeting and we will discuss what needs to be done. It is only after the meeting that we can give you a clearer picture on how we will go about it,” he added.

The SC-appointed two-member committee of Gopal Subramanium and Anil Divan will name a three-member administrative panel to run BCCI on January 19. Former home secretary GK Pillai, ex-CAG Vinod Rai and former India cricketer Mohinder Amarnath are likely to be on that committee.

“As soon as that panel is in place, it will call for a general body meeting of member associations to make them agree to the reforms. Even if 15 associations say yes, the quorum will be formed. Once that happens, elections under a new constitution will be imminent. There’s only that much time to figure what can be done,” another source in the know of things said.
The idea now is clearly to stay relevant in a circuit that’s been rendered irrelevant by the country’s highest court.

These ‘sacked’ administrators know well that they could invite the ire of the SC if the Saturday meeting sees any idea of rebelling the court order being floated. However, there’s no other choice but to come together and see in what way can a proxy be created so as to stay attached to the Indian cricket fraternity.

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