Former India spinner Bishan Singh Bedi has hailed Supreme Court’s decision to remove Anurag Thakur from the post of BCCI president and Ajay Shirke from secretary’s post. The duo were found guilty of not following the apex court’s order to comply with the Lodha Panel recommendations in order to introduce administrative changes within the cricket body.

Accusing Thakur and Shirke of making cricket their fiefdom, Bedi told reporters:“This is a very important decision for Indian cricket and for all sportspersons.”

“This is not a happy moment as we should not have been in this situation at the first place. A few people had made cricket their own property,” the 70-year-old added.

The Lodha panel was formed by the Supreme Court in 2015 after Justice Mukul Mudgal committee recommended reforms in the BCCI. The committee was given the responsibility of looking into the affairs of the cricket board after 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting charges. The Supreme court-appointed panel made some recommendations to bring administrative changes in the board. However, the reforms have now gone down too well with the board and as a result, they have been reluctant to implement several recommendations, most importantly the age and tenure restrictions for top officials, as well as not allowing them from serving successive terms.

On the other hand, the apex court has accepted the majority of recommendations made by the three-member panel in July and ordered the cricket to implement them. The court had already warned the BCCI officials of dire consequences in case they did not follow the orders and the BCCI president and secretary finally paid the price for flouting the orders.

“Legally and in prosecutional terms, the decision was much needed and we are indebted to them (Supreme Court) for taking the bold step. I hope Indian cricket will be benefitted from this decision and clean-up will be possible now,” Bedi concluded.