BCCI uploads constitution on its official website; shifts treasurer's office from Chennai to Mumbai

Shashank Manohar is staying true to his words since he begun his second term in office as BCCI president

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), under the aegis of new president Shashank Manohar, has announced the shifting of the treasurer’s office to Mumbai from its present location of Chennai. WisdenIndia also reported that the board’s constitution will be uploaded on its official website, bcci.tv.

Manohar was elected unopposed as the new BCCI president on October 4 at the Special General Meeting (SGM) held in Mumbai following the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya on September 20. Following his appointment, the Vidarbha-based lawyer, who had earlier been at the helm of the BCCI from 2008 to 2011, had vowed to clean up the image of the board in his second term in office.

“Nothing wrong is being done in the board. However, it is a perception that is being created in the minds of people that because the information does not come out, there is definitely something wrong. Therefore to clear that myth and change the perception, we would do this immediately,” he had said on Sunday.

“There is a grievance that the board is not transparent and everything is kept under wraps. I feel that this problem could be sorted out by putting on the website of the board the constitution, all the rules and any expenditure made over Rs 25 lakh. And at the end of the year, we can also put the balance sheet of the board on the website.”

The 58-year-old had asked the cricket-loving public a period of two months to implement the various changes to this effect but has acted on his words in quick time, at least the first of those promises by uploading the 52-page constitution, titled Memorandum and Rules and Regulations on BCCI’s official website.

The other major decision that was taken on Wednesday was the shifting of the treasury office from Chennai to India’s financial capital, Mumbai.

“Keeping in mind that all tax matters of the BCCI are with the Income Tax Office in Mumbai, the Board has decided to hire a tax advisor and internal auditor that operates out of Mumbai,” the BCCI said in a statement.

“Accordingly, the BCCI has hired M/S Gokhale & Sathe, a reputed firm based in Mumbai and having extensive experience in Trust matters, as its advisor on Direct Tax matters and as an Internal Auditor for the accounting year 2015-16 with immediate effect, in replacement of PB Vijayraghavan & Co. from Chennai.”

Mr. Manohar has begun his second term in office quite actively as he had on Monday announced that India’s women's cricketers will be offered central contracts by the BCCI.