Reports | Indian Cricketers' Association funding problem to be cleared in BCCI apex council meeting
BCCI's new apex council will sit on Sunday to determine the appointment of an ethics officer, who will also double up as an ombudsman, and the release of funds for the Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA). Just. DK Jain was appointed the first-ever ombudsman in February last year on a one-year term.
After being elected to the position in October last year, the Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA), which became India's first ever players' association as per recommendation of the Lodha Commitee, sought funds from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to kick-start operations. ICA president Ashok Malhotra even spoke in media regarding funds, which will help them establish an office space.
The ICA is also planning to pitch next projects like increased salaries for first-class cricketers and pension for the wives of the deceased Ranji Trophy players. Taking stock of things, the BCCI, as the Times of India reported, is set to release funds for the Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA) at the BCCI's second Apex Council meeting on Sunday.
The board will also discuss things like the appointment of new Ombudsman and Ethics officer as the tenure of Justice DK Jain, who was appointed the BCCI's first ever ombudsman in February last year on a one-year term, comes to an end. DK Jain doubled up as its ethics officer, overseeing high-profile conflict of interest allegations against Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Kapil Dev. The clarity on the role this time is, however, yet to be cleared.
The Sunday meeting is compulsory for the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI considering the new constitution makes it clear that the Apex Council, which had its first and only meeting so far on November 30, is required to meet at least once every three months. The council will clear the schedule of the 2020-21 home season in the meeting while discussing the replacement for former CFO Santosh Rangnekar, who resigned in November last year.
CAG nominee Alka Rehani Bhardwaj, who was appointed in December, will make her first appearance at the apex council meet. She had called for an early meeting to discuss complaints of constitutional violations in the past.