70-year age cap untouched but amending cooling-off clause necessary, opines Arun Dhumal

In the Annual General Meeting ( AGM), the first since BCCI president Sourav Ganguly assumed office, the board is planning to propose some significant changes to the existing constitution of the governing body. The major recommendation will be to alter the duration of the cooling-off period that the office bearers have to serve after their term.

As per the current constitution, which is approved by the Supreme Court, an office-bearer who has served two three-year terms either at the BCCI or at the state association, goes into a compulsory cooling-off for a three-year period.

The current dispensation at the BCCI wants the cooling-off period to kick in after the individual has finished two terms (six years), at the board and state association separately.

BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal states that all the governing body wants is the utilisation of the experience of the senior members for the betterment of the sport in the country. He also clarified that the board doesn’t plan to alter the maximum age cap for bearing an office in the board.

"We have not touched the age cap (of years) we have kept it like that. We have not made any amendment to that. With regards to the cooling-off, our point of view is if somebody has gained experience by running the state association why give him a cooling-off, that experience should be utilised in the best interest of the game. If he can contribute in BCCI, why not," Dhumal told PTI.

"If someone reaches 67 years of age after spending six years in a state association. If he has cooling off of three years, he is already 70 by then. He won't be able to contribute anything to the BCCI."

Dhumal echoed his views as he gave the example of the political system in the states to support his statement which stressed on using the experience of previous office bearers.

"You must have seen in the BCCI election (last month). Out of the 38 members part of the electoral roll, only four or five members had the experience of attending meetings previously. So in case someone has gained experience in the state association, that experience should be utilised in the BCCI. In one stroke you made all office-bearers ineligible in many of the states (following Lodha reforms).

"So, it is like you sack the Chief Minister of a state and then call the cabinet ministers ineligible. So from where will you get the new ministry?" asked Dhumal as he concluded.