Supreme Court clarifies disqualification rules' scope

Ever since the Lodha Panel's recommendations came into being, controversy and ambiguity have surrounded its various suggestions causing the Supreme Court to intervene and pass a judgement. A similar incident took place recently.

As per the apex court's order of July 18 three years ago in which it had ratified the Lodha committee's recommendations, administrators were allowed to hold office for a time frame of nine years each for both the central and state committees. However, a cooling-off period was established for any official having come off serving two successive terms of three years.

The state units hence submitted their queries of whether the same also applied to councillors, considering they had to hold elections by the 28th of September and nominate representatives for the BCCI elections scheduled for the 22nd of October.

However, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Sharad Bobde and L. Nageswar Rao, ruled opposingly, stating the disqualification rules "shall remain confined to office-bearers only," as reported by Cricbuzz. This shall technically allow members presently in the committees, executive committees and other governing bodies for the state associations to be allowed to contest elections for the BCCI spots. The move would see an extra period of three years being added to their tenures apart from the aforementioned period of nine years.