Lodha Recommendations: Three Gujarat Cricket Officials Resign Due To Maximum Tenure Rule
Jan 17, 2017 at 9:59 AM
Three senior office bearers of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA)- secretary Rajesh Patel, treasurer Dheeraj Jogani and vice-president Kanhaiya Lal Contractor — on Monday announced their resignations in accordance with the Lodha Panel’s recommendation of maximum tenure rule.
The Supreme Court, on January 2, had ordered the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and all the state associations to implement the Lodha Panel reforms. According to the committee’s recommendations, an office bearer should be a citizen of India, should not be 70 years or older, should not be a government servant or minister, should not hold office in another sports organisation, should not have held office with the BCCI or state association for more than nine years.
And all the three officials who resigned had surpassed the nine-years limit. Rajesh Patel was associated with the GCA for around nine years while Kanhaiya Lal Contractor had been with the state body for 12 years. On the other hand, Dheeraj Jogani was serving as treasurer since the last five terms.
Meanwhile, GCA vice-president, Parimal Nathwani, expressed his shock over the resignations and called the steps taken by the apex court as “harsh” and “painful.”
“Cricket bodies are governed under Trust Act. We do not take any grants from the government. We generate income from cricket and cricketers. We do not take anything from the government. And yet, it is very surprising and shocking that someone has to resign because his tenure is over,” said Nathwani.
“The action taken by Supreme Court is very painful. Such a harsh step on us is very unfortunate. Entire cricket has been punished for the wrongdoings of a few people. However, we respect the order of the Supreme Court and we do not wish to comment anything against it,” he concluded.