BCCI’s Thakur says Shashank Manohar opposed CAG nominee

New Delhi, October 17

BCCI president Anurag Thakur on Monday denied having asked the ICC to call Justice RM Lodha’s recommendations “government interference” in the board’s functioning.

In an affidavit he submitted to the Supreme Court, Thakur said he had only asked ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar — the previous president of the BCCI — to clarify what he claimed was his previous stand against appointing a CAG nominee to the cricket board’s top council.   

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Thakur’s affidavit said: "I am filing this affidavit pursuant to the order dated October 7, passed by this court on whether I had asked the CEO of the ICC (Dave Richardson) to state that the appointment of Justice Lodha Committee was tantamount to government interference in the working of the BCCI."

"At the outset, it is denied that any such request was put forth by me to the CEO of the ICC," Thakur said in his affidavit.

Thakur claimed that at a recent ICC meeting, he had asked Manohar to write a letter clarifying why he had believed when he was president of the board that appointing a CAG nominee to the council would be government’s interference in BCCI’s functioning and may invoke suspension from the ICC.

"I, therefore, requested him that he being the ICC chairman, can a letter be issued clarifying the position which he had taken as BCCI president (sic)," the affidavit said.

"Manohar explained to me at the meeting that when the stand was taken by him, the matter was pending before this court and had not been decided," Thakur said.

The affidavit said the top court had rejected the BCCI's argument against such an appointment.

The court reserved its order after the BCCI asked for time to implement the reforms.

The Supreme Court had told Thakur to respond the allegations against him on October 7.

The board missed its September 30.deadline to implement the reforms.

The BCCI has been reluctant to agree to implement the sweeping changes recommended by a court-appointed panel, which was set up last year to usher in reforms at the world's richest cricket board. The panel, headed by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, recommended, among other things, age and tenure restrictions for top officials as well as banning them from serving successive terms.

The cricket board's reluctance has not gone down well with the country’s highest court, which has been critical of the way the organisation functions.  — Agencies