The Supreme Court, on Monday, expressed anguish over the BCCI running a “prohibitory regime and monopolising cricket” across the country.
“Several youngsters in the country want to make their career in cricket, and want to be Dhonis and Kohlis due to the glamour and glitz associated with it,” a bench headed by Chief Justice T.S. Thakur said. “They do not get equal opportunity if they are not on the right side of the BCCI. Sometimes they are prevented by the people at the helm of affairs.”
The bench, also comprising Justice F.M.I. Kalifulla, said: “If a state from the North East wants to be a member of the BCCI, you are not allowing it because your writ lies there also.”
“You have complete monopoly over Team India because you select them and don’t want to give the right to anyone else. We need to balance things.”
To the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, which has expressed reservations against the one State-one vote formula, the bench said: “When the ICC accepts the principle of one country-one vote irrespective of population, why can’t a similar formula work for BCCI?”
The bench also pulled up the Baroda Cricket Association, which has opposed the Lodha Committee reforms, especially the one State-one vote recommendation.
“We make it clear that we are not concerned with any state cricket associations, but if they want to associate with BCCI, they have to reform themselves. You will have to fall in line and reform yourselves or you will lose your membership,” the bench said.
The apex court also appointed senior advocate Gopal Subramanium as amicus curiae in the matter and sought his assistance to explore how the recommendations of the Justice Lodha committee could be implemented.
