Justice Lodha hails SC verdict on BCCI reforms

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Former chief justice Rajendra Mal Lodha, who headed the panel for bringing reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) administration, on Saturday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict of accepting the committee's recommendations.

Lodha hoped the sport and players will get more affection from the audience once the suggestions come into effect.

"Cricket is like a religion in the country. At the same time, it unites people. In view of this, transparency is required in every aspect, but due to match fixing, huge money, the dignity of this game is in a degraded state," Lodha was quoted as saying by Etv news.

"To bring the game on its right track, we suggested a few points on the direction of the Supreme Court. The apex court has granted this. I hope that the sport and the players will get more affection from the audience once the suggestions come into effect," he added.

In a landmark judgment on July 18, the apex court gave BCCI six months time to implement the recommendations.

The two-judge bench, comprising of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice Ibrahim Kalifullah accepted the recommendation of 'one state, one vote', besides the induction of representatives of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the board.

The apex court, however, left in to Parliament to decide whether the board should come under the ambit of RTI or not. The panel will oversee transition from the old to the new regime within the next six months.