Rest of Ind-NZ series to be cancelled? BCCI-Lodha tussle escalates

The Supreme Court of India had in July ordered the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to implement a slew of reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee in order to make the working of the BCCI more transparent. 

But the BCCI's emergent working committee meeting, which preceded the Special General Meeting that was eventually adjourned on Sept 30, was not made public, which also meant that the Lodha Committee was left in the dark on the implemented reforms.

According to a report published by ESPN Cricinfo, it is also understood that the agenda and the minutes of both the working committee meeting as well the SGM, which eventually took place on Oct 1, were not sent to the Lodha Committee.

As a result, the Lodha Committee has asked two Indian banks not to disburse funds from the BCCI accounts to its state associations. The banks were told in an email sent by the Committee that the BCCI had breached the Supreme Court order by failing to comply with the first round of timelines set to be implemented by Sept 30.

The BCCI had accepted some of the Lodha Committee's recommendations when the Supreme Court had ordered it to implement everything it had passed back in July 2016.

“You are also aware that the BCCI has chosen to breach the judgement of the Hon'ble Supreme Court as well as the first set of timelines set out by this Committee which includes the Fund Disbursement policy to be framed by 30.9.2016,” the Committee stated in its email to the banks.

“As the status report is to be taken up for directions by the Hon'ble Court on Thursday, 6.10.2016, you are hereby directed not to take any steps towards financial disbursement of the amounts as resolved/approved after the direction dated 31.8.2016. Any violation of this direction will be placed before the Hon'ble Supreme Court for appropriate directions.”

On account of this, an amount transfer of INR 10 crores, decided by the BCCI as an increment to the state associations for the infrastructure subsidy, and the money received from the broadcaster as compensation (INR 1607.58 crores) for the cancellation of the Champions League T20, were blocked by the banks, the report said.

According to a report in the Times of India, the blocked money transfer could spell an abrupt end to the ongoing home series against New Zealand as the funds cannot be transferred to the members associations of the venues. 

There remains the final Test and five One-Day Internationals to be played in the series. But the BCCI is yet to come out with an official statement regarding this pressing issue.