Disqualified officials’ BCCI stint over, insists Lodha panel

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) The R.M. Lodha Committee on Thursday clarified that disqualified office-bearers of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) won't be able to attend Board meetings as a state-association representative or International Cricket Council (ICC) meetings as a BCCI representative.

In its second part of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), the statement from the Lodha Committee comes soon after a media report that sacked BCCI Secretary Ajay shirke was being appointed Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) representative at BCCI meetings.

"In keeping with the spirit of the Hon'ble Supreme Court's judgement, a disqualified office-bearer is no longer to be associated with cricket administration. He/She is disqualified from being a representative or nominee of the member association or the BCCI and cannot discharge any other role in or behalf of the association or the BCCI."

"He/She cannot function within the association in any patron or advisory capacity nor be a member of a committee or council," it added.

The committee made it clear that overall tenure in cricket administration will be nine years cumulative and not 18 years as mentioned earlier.

It was also clarified that the post of an assistant secretary will be deemed as an office-bearer's post.

The committee also reiterated its stringent law of a compulsory 'cooling off' period of three years after three years in office stands.

In such a case, incumbent Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly, who has been reportedly tipped to be at advantage for the post of BCCI president, will have to go for a cooling period.

Moreover, officials in the middle of a tenure can stand for fresh elections but their current term will count towards the 'cooling off' phase.