Only 14 state units are Lodha-proof

CoA chief Vinod Rai

There is barely a month left for the BCCI's affiliated state associations to hold their elections [by September 14] as per the timeline issued by the Committee of Administrators (CoA). But while the CoA says that 25 to 26 units are fully compliant with the new BCCI constitution, the BCCI website shows only 14. Though the Supreme Court-appointed CoA is confident of holding the BCCI elections as per schedule on October 22, with the majority of state units still not fully compliant, it is a growing concern for the three-member committee.

During the August 5 meeting, CoA chief Vinod Rai had emphatically stated that 26 state cricket associations of the BCCI have complied to the new constitution and electoral officers have been appointed too. After Tuesday's CoA meeting, its member Ravindra Thodge too emphasised that the BCCI elections will take place as per their timeline. "More than 24 to 25 bodies have fallen in line. The intentions are to hold the elections around the date which has been set," he said. Although the CoA is bracing up for minor delays, they are confident that most state associations will be on board for the BCCI elections.

However, when the document was uploaded on the BCCI website yesterday about the status of the state associations having voting rights in the BCCI as on Tuesday, 10 out of the 38 state units are yet to submit their registered constitutions to the CoA. Just a mere submission of the constitution is not enough as the BCCI's legal team will then look into the minutest of details before the CoA issuing compliance certificate. Another 10 state associations, which include the likes of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan have not yet initiated amendments to their constitution in the first place.

Cricket Association of Uttarakhand, the latest BCCI full member, will be communicated by the CoA with regards to the amendments to their constitution. While Services, Indian Railways and Indian Universities are not required to amend their constitution, only the remaining 14 states are so far fully compliant as per the Lodha Committee recommendations. These 14 units primarily consist of new states and units from NorthEast.

Three associations - Assam, Delhi and Vidarbha - out of the 14 fully compliant have already conducted their elections. However, there are concerns raised over Vidarbha Cricket Association's constitution which does not have the conflict of interest clause. The BCCI yesterday also uploaded the list of electoral officers appointed for various state associations, but later withdrew it. There is no official reason from the BCCI for withdrawing the list, but it is understood that with 20 state associations still to get the compliance nod from the CoA, it wouldn't be appropriate to announce the electoral officers for those states. Most of the non-compliant state units have filed Interlocutory Applications in the SC seeking relief or directions on certain aspects, but with the apex court not taking up the matter anytime soon, the wait is only getting longer.

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