'Disruptive elements' stalling Lodha reforms - Rai
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Vinod Rai, chairman of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, believes the BCCI is running out of time in its objections to the Lodha reforms
I will speak only from January 30. I (CoA) cannot look into what happened before that. The Supreme Court tried to implement the reforms till January 30. But that did not take place for whatever reasons. Then we were appointed. Our mandate was to implement the recommendations of the Lodha Committee as approved by the Supreme Court on July 18, 2016. How do we ensure that mandate is fulfilled? We can ensure that mandate is fulfilled only by making the BCCI's special general body meeting (SGM) pass a resolution (to adopt the new constitution and reforms). Isn't it? If that could have been done by January 30, then we would not have been required.
It is not patience. My consensus-building efforts did not fructify. I am not frustrated. I am just saying the writ of the court must run.
I have told the court to issue an order under Article 142 of the Constitution of India, and issue direction to the Registrar of the Tamil Nadu government to register the new BCCI constitution.
Yes because the court could not succeed in persuading them to pass the constitution. Then the court asked us to do it. We have tried our best to persuade them, build the consensus. Now that they have not agreed, I have sought the direction of the court.
Article 142 says: "Enforcement of the decrees and orders of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court in the exercise of its jurisdiction may pass such decree or make such order as is necessary for doing complete justice in any cause or matter pending before it and make it enforceable throughout the territory of India."
As far as I am concerned now it is just too late. Everything is a closed issue. It just too late. Now, I have made my recommendation to the court. The court will examine it on September 5. If it gives me the order on September 5 I will convene the SGM first, adopt the new constitution. And, as per the constitution, convene the AGM to elect the office-bearers and close the CoA's tenure latest by October 31. I continue to stick by my schedule.
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo