Not looking for escape route on Lodha report: BCCI

Board secretary Anurag Thakur says committee’s suggestions will be discussed at state and national levels.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Friday it wasn’t looking for an escape route over recommendations of structural changes, assuring a discussion on all suggestions of the Justice RM Lodha committee. The remark came a day after the Supreme Court told the board to implement all recommendations by the panel to promote transparency.

BCCI official Anurag Thakur meets the press at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in this file photo.(Prateek Choudhury/ HT file photo)

“We want to discuss the Lodha panel recommendations at state and national level,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur told a news conference while announcing the Indian squad for the World T20 and Asia Cup. “The BCCI isn’t looking for an escape route; we believe in transparency and accountability,” he added.

The Supreme Court on Thursday unequivocally told the BCCI to implement the recommendations for drastic changes in the richest cricket body to ensure transparency in its functioning, saying it won’t get a “second inning” to defend itself.

READ | BCCI won’t get a second innings on Lodha report: SC

The court has given the BCCI time till March 3 - the next date of hearing -- to explain how it intends to implement the recommendations.

The board has been rocked by several controversies over the past few years. The 2013 IPL spot-fixing scandal was followed by allegations of illegal betting against Chennai Super Kings official Gurunath Meiyappan that triggered conflict-of-interest allegations against his father-in-law and then BCCI president N Srinivasan. With the Supreme Court taking up a petition against Srinivasan and his refusing to step down despite being asked to “step aside” by the court, the board’s credibility took another hit.

On January 4, the Lodha panel had recommended drastic measures including legalising betting in cricket and bringing the all-powerful BCCI under purview of the RTI Act, besides prescribing a three-year cooling off period for the president and other office-bearers before contesting polls.