In a new twist to the ongoing battle between BCCI office bearers and the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators, the CoA issued new directions for the Cricket board. In a document (in possession of News Central), the CoA, led by former CAG, Vinod Rai, informs the BCCI office bearers that they will be “bound to act in accordance with the directions of the Committee of Administrators and shall aid, assist and cooperate with the CoA….”
The new guidelines prohibit BCCI office bearers from undertaking any travel (without prior approval of the CoA. Any approval sought has to be accompanied by a complete itinerary of travel.
The document says that “the BCCI shall not bear the expenses of any legal representation/ advice that any office bearer may seek from external legal advisers/ counsel in connection with the case being heard in Supreme Court”
In a controversial move, the CoA has issued another guideline about payments made on behalf of the BCCI. In point no 8, the document adds:
“Once a payment is approved and/or a decision is taken as aforesaid, the said payment shall be processed and/or decision implemented by the Joint Secretary and the Treasurer within 3 working days. If a payment is not processed and/or decision is not implemented within 3 working days, the Committee of Administrators may direct the other two signatories, namely Mr. Santosh Rangnekar and Mr. Saba Karim, to process the payment and/or implement the decision instead of the Joint Secretary and the Treasurer.”
Sources in the BCCI suggest that this guideline has been inserted to prevent the BCCI office bearers from scrutinising any payments decided by the CoA or CEO. The BCCI’s Acting Treasurer, Anirudh Chaudhry had earlier signed the financial documents under protest after informing the CoA that according to the BCCI constitution financial documents had to be approved by the BCCI Working Committee before the Treasurer could sign them. As reported by DNA earlier, this had been a bone of contention between the BCCI and the CoA. With the new guidelines, financial calls taken by the CoA can not be scrutinised by the board.
In another controversial move, the CoA has informed the BCCI that any appointment letter issued by the CoA can not be held by the Acting Secretary. The Acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary had recently refused to sign the appointment letter for General Manager (Marketing) whose appointment was decided by the CEO and the CoA at a cost of Rs. 1.65 crore per annum. Chaudhary had questioned the rationale behind the decision.
The new guidelines also prevent the BCCI office bearers from calling any meeting of the BCCI General Body without prior approval of the CoA.
In a gag order, the guidelines also inform the office bearers that any communication involving the Committee of Administrators and any employee/ consultant/ retainer/ service provider shall be kept confidential and shall not be disclosed to any person without the express written consent of the Committee of Administrators.”