In what could be termed as a death blow to the aspirations of the Dr G Vivekananda led ruling group in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to remain in power for the next three years, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Committee of Administrators (CoA) has categorically stated that most of the State Associations, including Hyderabad, haven't complied with the Justice (retd) RM Lodha Committee recommendations.

The implication of the report is that the HCA elections which were held in January this year may well stand 'null and void' and therefore we could see fresh polls to the cricket body by the year end or early next year.

In its Fourth Status report dated July 9, 2017 submitted to the Supreme Court, the CoA stated, "The Committee of Administrators have conveyed to all state/member associations the points that need to be incorporated in their Constitutions/Memorandum of Association/Rules & Regulations/Bye-Laws to bring them in terms with the Lodha Committee Report and the Judgement of this Hon'ble Court dated 18th July 2016. Vidarbha Cricket Association has complied. 

Tripura Cricket Association has submitted documents and verification of compliance is underway. Other state/member associations have not complied."

It should be mentioned that the High Court appointed administrators for the HCA too had stated in their report in May end that the reforms were yet to be implemented in the HCA.The HCA had called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) on July 2 to "reconfirm the resolutions passed in Special General Meeting held on 20th November 2016".

"The Special General Body unanimously adopted all the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee reforms and implemented the judgement of the Supreme Court in CA No. 4235/14, dated 18-7-2016 in its letter and spirit in toto," said a HCA release on July 2.

The release also said, "The Special General Meeting of the Hyderabad Cricket Association held on 2-7-2017 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad which is conducted by the newly formed Apex Council constituted by elected Office Bearers in terms of the recommendations of His Lordship Justice Lodha Committee in pursuance to the judgement of the Supreme Court in CA No. 4235/2014 dated 18-7-2016."

In one breath the release says that the SGM was conducted by the Apex Council constituted by elected office-bearers in line with the Lodha reforms and then goes on to say that the SGM has "unanimously adopted the reforms". How could the elections be held before the reforms were adopted and implemented?

The CoA's report also states that the States haven't appointed Electoral Officers, which is a must for the conduct of elections.

The report requests the Supreme Court to "direct the state associations to amend their Constitutions on or before December 31, 2017". It also says, "Thereafter, it would be necessary to revise the respective electoral rolls to each State/Member Association prior to conduct of elections in order to ensure that elections are free and fair. 

The Committee of Administrators is of the considered opinion that the process of revising the electoral rolls of each state/member association needs to be done under the supervision of an administrator, who should be a retired judge either of this Hon'ble Court or of the relevant High court... Such administrator may be appointed one month prior to the date of the election..."

To ensure transparency in the elections, the report says, "The Electoral Officers to be appointed for elections of State/Member Associations can work under the supervision of the administrators (instead of under the supervision of the existing Managing Committees/Governing Bodies of the respective state/Member Associations)."

(Courtesy: The Times of India)