BCCI reforms: Justice Lodha hails SC verdict, says 'great day for Indian cricket'

New Delhi, July 18 (ANI): Hailing the Supreme Court's verdict accepting major recommendations of his committee on administrative changes in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Justice RM Lodha on Monday said that it was a great day for Indian cricket, and a great day for Indian sports as well. Calling on cricket fans to rejoice the verdict of the apex court, Justice Lodha told ANI that this verdict will only better the sport and its administration. "Our report is exhaustive and I'm sure now that with the decision of the Supreme Court out, the BCCI will have to implement the report at the earliest. Our one year of efforts has brought the results. This will only better the sport and its administration," he said. Asserting that ministers are not able to give their best to cricket as they have other commitments, Justice Lodha further said that given the level at which Indian cricket it right now, it demands full devotion from its administration. Echoing similar sentiments, Justice (Retd) Mukul Mudgal told ANI that it's a major verdict that will affect sports administration in India generally. "Just now it's for cricket where the administration is otherwise an efficient administration working well. It will have a major effect on other sporting bodies which are not so well organised. The purpose is to see that people devote more time to this because a minister or a bureaucrat has other duties also. This ruling can't be debated its binding on everybody," he said. Earlier today in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court accepted major recommendations of Justice R.M. Lodha-led panel on structural reforms in the (BCCI). The apex court has given six months time to the BCCI to implement the recommendations. The court accepted the recommendation of 'one state, one vote', which was opposed by the cricket body stating that there are states where cricket is not popular and the allotment of voting rights will not serve any purpose. However, Gujarat and Maharashtra have been allowed to have three state cricket bodies, but they will represent on rotational basis. The two-judge bench, comprising of Chief Justice T.S Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifullah, also accepted the recommendation of induction of representatives of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) within the board. The BCCI had opposed the same while stating that the ICC may take it as the government's interference and will likely disfranchise the board for violating its rules. The board had, however, suggested that CAG nominee in the BCCI should not have voting rights and he should be in just an advisory role. The Lodha panel recommendation of having no minister in the BCCI above the age of 70 years has also been accepted. The apex court also told the board that no minister or government official can be a BCCI official. The Supreme Court, which felt that BCCI discharges a public service and has complete monopoly over cricket in India, has left it on the Parliament to decide whether the BCCI should come under RTI or not. The Lodha panel will oversee transition from the old to new regime within the next six months. Earlier on January 4, 2016, the Lodha panel had suggested legalising betting and that no minister can hold post in the BCCI. (ANI)