Lodha Committee Recommendation: Civil Services Mentor Magazine - March - 2016
Lodha Committee Recommendation
BCCI regularly faces charges of corruption as well as the charges of improper functioning. In Zee Telefilms Ltd. & Anr vs Union Of India & Ors case supreme court has held that BCCI does not come under the definition of state for the purpose of Part- III of the constitution. However lot of politicians are still the position holders in the BCCI. With the coming up of Indian premier league, lot of money has also been flown into the game. Money is good for the development of the game, however with lot of money chances of corruption and unethical behaviour have also risen. In last few years lot of unethical behaviour has been seen by the players and individuals involved in the game. Two team owners and few players were charged with match fixing and other unethical behaviour.
Police has arrested three players and eleven bookkeepers for
alleged spot-fixing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This case shows the
rampant corruption and mismanagement present in the game of cricket. The IPL
started six years ago, it is based upon a model under which owners buy players
from across the globe. There is provision for minimum nuber of domestic players
as well. However this well-intentioned design for the good of domestic players
have also created a problem of betting as well as spot fixing. IPL is also
managed by BCCI, which is one of the richest sporting bodies in the world with
revenues totaling more than $200 million annually. In the past as well charges
of corruption have come up against the Indian cricket players. Charges of
match-fixing surfaced against mohammad azharuddin, in 2000, the Indian cricket
team captain at that time.
In order to solve the problem of assosiated with Indian premier league as well
as the overall functioning of BCCI, Supreme court has formed two committee’s:
- Justice Mudgal committee to look into IPL spot fixing issue
- Justice Lodha committee on restructuring the BCCI
Following Justice Mudgal committee report, which found two IPL team owners in violation of code and conduct, two teams CSK and RR are barred from this season of IPL. Justice lodha committee has been tasked to look into the restructuring of the BCCI so that mismanagement and corruption comes out of the game in India.
-
The three-member committee comprising Justice (Retd) RM Lodha, Justice (Retd) Ashok Bhan and Justice (Retd) RV Raveendran was formed by supreme court for the restructuring of BCCI. Committee gave lots of recommendations, important among those are:
-
One association of each state will be a full member and have right to vote. The committee said one unit should represent one state, while taking away the voting rights of institutional and city-based units.
-
Different office bearers for state body and BCCI.
-
Committee suggested a nine member apex council for administration. With in this nine member apex council, 5 should be elected, 2 should be representatives of players association, and one should be woman.
-
CEO will have a team of six professional managers, CEO along with this team will be accountable to the apex council.
-
Committee recommended that BCCI should come under RTI, although variousverdicts have said that BCCI can not be considered state under Art 12 of the constitution.
-
However Justice Lodha said “Since the BCCI performs public functions, people have the right to know the functions and facilities and other activities of the BCCI...We have recommended the legislature must seriously consider bringing BCCI within the purview of the RTI Act,”.
-
In order to safeguard the interest of the players, a players’ association will be formed. The players’ association will include all those who have played first-class cricket. Also, a robust agent registration system to