SC appoints Lt. Gen. Ravi Thodge as third member of Committee of Administrators for BCCI

The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed Lt. Gen. Ravi Thodge, as third member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) for BCCI

The Supreme Court on Thursday appointed Lt. Gen. Ravi Thodge, as third member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) for BCCI. The matter was taken up by the top court bench of Justice S.A. Bobde and Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre in the presence of new Amicus Curiae PS Narasimha.

Interestingly, the Supreme Court expressed displeasure over "sparring" between BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai and its member Diana Edulji and said they should not bring their differences in "public domain".

The apex court, while observing that it was "partially aware" of what was going on in the CoA, said that whosoever is involved in these issues, they should not bring it in public domain.

During the hearing on Thursday, senior advocate P S Narasimha, assisting the court as an amicus curiae in the BCCI matter, told the court that earlier there were four members in CoA but now there were only two.

"We will appoint the members," the bench said.

To this, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for a state cricket association, said the number of members in CoA should have been odd. Narasimha also said the CoA should comprise of three members.

Sibal told the court that CoA would mean that BCCI would be "sidelined completely".

However, the bench said, "We understand that. It (CoA) will be till further orders. Can we do it in-chamber? We have a name in our mind. We will pass an order".

The bench had earlier appointed its former judge Justice D.K. Jain as BCCI's first Ombudsman for the resolution of disputes arising in the apex cricketing body in the course of administration of its affairs.

The top court bench appointed Justice Jain as Ombudsman after all the lawyers representing different parties agreed on his name out of the six suggested by amicus curiae P.S. Narasimha.

The bench comprising Justices SA Bobde and AM Sapre said: “We are happy that by consent of the parties and the suggestions, the name of retired Justice DK Jain has been agreed to be appointed as the Ombudsman in the BCCI. We accordingly appoint Justice (retired) DK Jain as first Ombudsman in the BCCI.”

(With PTI inputs)