Sourav Ganguly joined the Indian Premier League meeting “actively” on Sunday evening even as the two other Board of Control for Cricket in India functionaries failed to join the teleconference.
Ganguly’s presence and active involve in the meeting also confirmed the fact that the former Indian cricket team captain continues to function as the BCCI president even though his term in office has come to an end on July 27.
However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah and treasure Arun Dhumal did not join the meeting.
Shah’s father, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has tested positive for COVID-19 infection, while Dhumal failed to make it due to a demise in close relation, a Governing Council member confirmed to SportzFront.
“The GC was informed that the other two special invitees from the board will not be able to join the meeting. They had valid reasons. So, it was decided to continue with the the meeting as all other GC members were in and corum was not an issue,” a GC member said.
Speculation about Shah’s present status in the board also ended later in the evening when the Press release about the GC outcome was dispatched under his name.
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Shah’s tenure as the BCCI secretary was over in June. However, both the president and the secretary continue to hold their offices on a “technical ground”. They were supposed to demit their positions and serve three-year mandatory cooling off period as per the present BCCI constitution, in synch with the Justice Lodha Panel recommendations and the Supreme Court order.
Ganguly before being elected as the BCCI president was serving his second term as the Cricket Association of Bengal chief and Shah has been a Gujarat Cricket Association joint secretary for more than five years. The BCCI constitution makes is mandatory for the elected representatives to go for a three-year cooling off period on completion of two successive terms or six years, whichever is less, either in the State cricket bodies and the national board. The State and BCCI terms are combined for ascertaining the six-year period in office.
The duo continues to be in their respective positions as the BCCI has sought permission from the Supreme Court to allow them to complete three-year terms in the board. Shah’s term under the present BCCI constitution was over in June.
The BCCI, following the election of its office-bearers last year, had resolved that Ganguly and Shah be allowed to serve their three-years terms. That, however, needs an amendment in the board constitution, for which permission of the Supreme Court has been made mandatory as per the Lodha Commission recommendations.
The board though has filed an application in the Apex Court, the matter is yet to be heard. It has been listed for August 17.
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