4 major changes in the draft BCCI Constitution approved by Supreme Court

#2 Cooling-off period

The Lodha Committee had recommended a ‘mandatory’ cooling-off period after each term for office bearers of the BCCI and State Associations. It had set the tenure for each term to be of three years and also put a limit on the number of tenures an office bearer can hold. The aim of this particular recommendation was to provide a safeguard against the concentration of power with a limited group of people and also to allow dispersion of power.

However, there was serious contemplation regarding the cooling-off provision not being an effective measure to deal with administration issues. It was argued that limiting the tenure of office bearers and not allowing them consecutive terms would prevent them from using their gained experience and knowledge which will hamper the efficiency of administration.

The apex court, though principally aligning with the provision, opined that the cooling off period would apply only after the administrator has held two successive terms either with the BCCI or any State association or both.

“Six years in continuation is a sufficiently long period for experience and knowledge gained to be deployed in the interest of the game without at the same time resulting in a monopoly of power,” Justice Chandrachud noted.

The Court did not interfere with other two recommendations pertaining to the tenure of the administrators.