Summary
The Supreme Court approved the proposed BCCI constitution with modifications concerning membership, selection committees, tenure, cooling-off periods and governance. It restored full membership to specified associations, permitted five-member selection committees, required a three-year break after two consecutive terms across BCCI and State associations, and directed registration and corresponding member-constitution compliance.
Issues
- What modifications were required to finalise the BCCI constitution implementing the cricket-governance reforms.
Held
- Full membership was restored to Maharashtra, Mumbai and Vidarbha and to Gujarat, Baroda and Saurashtra. Railways, Services and the Association of Indian Universities were also recognised, with voting representatives to be former players elected by their former-player associations rather than government or sports-board nominees. National Cricket Club and Cricket Club of India did not regain full membership. (¶¶ 10, 14, 16)
- Selection committees were increased to five. Men’s selectors required seven Tests, thirty first-class matches, or ten ODIs plus twenty first-class matches; junior selectors required twenty-five first-class games; women’s selectors required national-team representation. Each required at least five years since retirement, with the specified senior-most chairmanship requirements. (¶¶ 21, 22)
- Pending elections, the CoA could constitute selectors through consultation with the Cricket Advisory Committee on the specified criteria. National-team head coaches were to be appointed by that advisory committee. (¶ 23)
- Terms remained three years with separate aggregate nine-year limits for BCCI and State-association office. A three-year cooling-off period followed two consecutive terms in either body or a combination of both. During that break, membership of governing councils or other committees could not be used to circumvent the restriction. (¶¶ 26, 29, 32, 33, 34)
- Professional management through the Apex Council and its officers was maintained, with balanced authority. The approved disqualifications covered citizenship, age seventy, insolvency or unsoundness of mind, specified public and other sporting offices, tenure limits, and criminal charges framed by a competent court. (¶¶ 36, 37)
- The approved election provisions required a former Election Commission member as Electoral Officer with scrutiny of the electoral process. Constitutional amendments required the prescribed three-fourths majority and could not take effect without Supreme Court leave. (¶¶ 38, 39)
- The Registrar was directed to register the presented BCCI constitution and report compliance within four weeks. Members were to register constitutions on similar lines within thirty days thereafter and certify compliance to the CoA; non-compliance would revive the specified October 2016 directions. (¶ 40)
- The CoA could submit further reports seeking directions to secure compliance. (¶ 41)
Result
BCCI draft constitution approved subject to the specified modifications; registration and member-compliance directions issued, with liberty to the CoA to seek further directions.