SC to hear plea to allow 3 BCCI representatives in ICC meet

New Delhi: The Supreme Court would today hear a plea seeking that three persons, authorised by it, be allowed to take part in the crucial ICC meeting commencing from February 2.

The apex court had authorised three persons, Vikram Limaye, Amitabh Chaudhury and Anirudh Chaudhury, to represent BCCI in the meeting.

On January 30, the apex court had appointed a four-member committee of administrators to run the affairs of the BCCI

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, said that out of three authorised persons, only Limaye has been asked to attend the meeting and this is against the order passed by the court.

A bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said that it would hear the matter at 2 PM.

The Justice R M Lodha panel and amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam informed the court that a request has been made to the ICC chairman Shashank Manohar that all the three representatives be accommodated in the meeting.

He said that as per the ICC rules only one member of a cricket board can represent the body in the meeting.

On January 30, the apex court had appointed a four-member committee of administrators headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General of India Vinod Rai to run the affairs of the BCCI and implement court-approved recommendations of the Justice R M Lodha panel on reforms in the cash-rich cricket body.

Other three members of the committee of administrators include historian Ramachandra Guha, Vikram Limaye, IDFC Managing Director, and former Indian women cricket captain Diana Edulji.

The bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra had also paved the way for the Indian Cricket Board's representation in the crucial ICC meeting by appointing cricket administrators Amitabh Chaudhary and Anirudh Chaudhary of BCCI along with Vikram Limaye for the purpose.

While naming the four members for the committee of administrators (COA), the court had rejected the suggestion of Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to appoint Secretary of Union Sports Ministry as one of the administrators, saying its July 18, 2016 judgement had specifically debarred ministers and government servants from holding any office in the BCCI.

The bench also made it clear that the BCCI CEO would report to this COA and, with the assistance of the counsel of the Board, apprise the administrators about the implementation of the Lodha panel recommendations accepted by the apex court.

The COA will place before the apex court within four weeks the report about the recommendations for reforms in the cricket body complied with by BCCI, it said.

PTI