BCCI’s failure to file affidavit has put India-England series at risk, say reports
Unnamed officials blamed Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke for not submitting legal documents on implementing the Lodha panel recommendations.
Unnamed officials said the upcoming India-England series may have hit a roadblock on account of Board of Control for Cricket in India's President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke failing to file their affidavits with the Supreme Court, The Times of India reported on Friday. The BCCI officials were directed to submit affidavits about the board's implementation of the court-appointed Lodha Panel's suggestions.
On November 3, the Justice RM Lodha committee decided not to communicate with the board until it implements the recommended reforms, reported Hindustan Times. An unnamed official said, "Both Thakur and Shirke haven't filed the compliance report. Thakur was also supposed to furnish an undertaking on how he would be implementing the reforms. The England tour has been put in jeopardy." The test matches are scheduled to begin on November 9.
Officials, however, said the the board has until November 5 to file the affidavits. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, Shirke has informed the England and Wales Cricket Board that it will be unable to commit to paying for the team's expenses in the upcoming series on account of restrictions imposed by the Lodha Panel. Shirke has also hinted that the hosting of the 2017 Indian Premier League tournament may also be impacted by the ongoing hearing, Cricbuzz reported.
Shirke's letter to the ECB Secretary Phil Neale said, "This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order," The Indian Express reported.
The Lodha panel was formed by the apex court in January 2015 to look into the affairs of the BCCI, in the aftermath of the spot-fixing scandal in the 2013 edition of the IPL. The committee has recommended major reforms and an administrative rejig in the cricketing body, which the BCCI has refused to implement so far.