Supreme Court Opinion Should Make BCCI And Its Members Anxious!

The usual buzz around the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is noticeably absent. But the Supreme Court’s opinion on the National Sports Governance Act 2025 vis-à-vis the BCCI and its members should spark discussion at the AGM. Though not on the lengthy agenda, members will be anxious to know the BCCI’s view on the matter. Another interesting time awaits the BCCI and its members. So far, the ejection of the Baroda Cricket Association, and Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (the BCCI President Mithun Manhas was elected from this State) from the AGM, arising from objections raised by the respective associations’ members, has failed to stir the hornet’s nest, so to speak. The BCCI’s AGM will be held at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai on September 18, and the Election Officer has drawn a list of 29 eligible members to attend. Apart from Baroda and Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar and Meghalaya will be absent for other reasons. Seven years ago, the Supreme Court allowed the three government departments (Indian Railways, Services and All India Universities) to attend the AGM and vote. Still, none of the three has found a way to nominate a cricketer to attend the AGM. With the new governance structure coming into effect from 2019, when the BJP backed Sourav Ganguly, not Brijesh Patel, for the post of President, BCCI AGMs have been mundane affairs. It will be the same a few days from now. The BCCI has not given any hints of disturbing the men’s Senior selection committee; it probably wants the Committee to run until next year’s ICC men’s World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.