From BCCI old guard to transparency: Vinod Rai recalls tenure as CoA

Talking to the media on Wednesday, October 23, former Supreme Court (SC)-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai asserted that handling the old guard of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was no challenge in comparison to his tenure as Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). He mentioned that he had no interaction with them, barring for the court. Revealing that he did not bother about criticism, he opined that those opposing reforms had vested interests.  

Rai said, “This (CoA) was no challenge at all. I had no interaction with them (the disqualified 70 plus people). They had interaction only in the court. As far as criticism and attempting to malign me is concerned, I don't care about any of those things. Anybody who was opposing reforms, I believe, had vested interest.”  

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‘Some dissatisfied people have gone to court’ 

The former CAG also addressed the criticism that the CoA continued to remain in charge for much longer, by highlighting the SC judgement. He pinpointed the fact that 92 Interim Applications were filed in the SC. Rai observed that its mandate was to implement the reforms.  

He added, “I will tell you what went wrong. There were 92 Interim Applications (IA) filed (in the SC). Then the appointment of new Amicus Curiae (PS Narsimha), who was asked to mediate and it ended only in August 2019. About allegations that we got into administration but what is the order of the SC judgement in August 9, 2018? That we will implement the reforms and run the administration of BCCI till the general body takes over. People alleged we clung on but at the same time, dissatisfied people have gone to court saying that CoA had no business ordering the elections. I am perplexed.” 

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‘We have been totally transparent’ 

Rai expressed his delight over having big players such as Sourav Ganguly, Brijesh Patel, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy in cricket administration. He cited transparency as one of COA’s main achievements. Moreover, he said they had been able to create a Player’s Association despite initial resistance.  

Read: CoA Reign Ends As Ganguly Set To Take Over As 39th BCCI President

“It has been a very satisfying experience because there are four former players in major administration now. There is Sourav (Ganguly) as BCCI president, IPL chairman is Brijesh Patel, Anshuman Gaekwad, and Shantha Rangaswamy are in the Apex Council. We have been able to create a Players' Association, which wasn't initially being accepted. We had women's IPL, even though on a smaller scale but the matches were of high quality. We have been totally transparent. The minutes of 100-plus CoA meetings (status reports) are available on the board's website. There has been no dilution of Lodha recommendations,” he remarked.  

(With PTI inputs)

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