On Sunday, October 4, 2015, Mr. Shashank Manohar was elected as the President of Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) after a special general meeting at the Boardās Headquarters in Mumbai.
BCCI Hon. Secretary, Mr. Anurag Thakur announced the election of Mr. Manohar in a media conference.
Mr. Anurag Thakur
After the sad demise of Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya we called a special general meeting today to elect the new BCCI President. You will be pleased to know that all the six associations from the east zone nominated the name of Mr. Shashank Manohar. He, therefore, has been elected unanimously the President of BCCI for the second time (Mr. Manohar served as the Boardās President between 2008 and 2011). Under his last presidency India won the World Cup in 2011 and the Indian cricket team was the No. 1 Test team in the world. We saw in those three years how under his leadership cricket progressed. He carries a very clean and impeccable image and is known for his administrative skills.
As you have seen in the last six months, under the leadership of the late Mr. Dalmiya, many reforms took place in the BCCI. And with Mr. Manohar elected as the President, I am sure that under his able leadership cricket in this country will grow with every passing day.
As he began his term as BCCI President, Mr. Shashank Manohar addressed the media and listed out the reforms he wants to implement within the Board.
Mr. Shashank Manohar
You all know that the BCCI is a huge brand in itself. This brand is created because of the fans and the cricket loving population of this country. Without their support it would not have been possible for this Board to become so big.
In the last few days the confidence of the cricket loving fans has shaken due to certain unpleasant things that have happened. Leaving them aside it is now the duty of all the members of the Board to build the reputation of this Board and enhance it. For this, I have to continue the good work that was being done by Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya, who had thought of certain reforms but unfortunately could not carry them out. I, therefore, propose to take things forward with the help of all the members of the BCCI. I would illustrate a few things which I propose to do in the immediate near future.
First, the Board would frame regulations in regards with conflict of interest of the players and administrators. That would be done in about a monthās time. The Board would also appoint an ethics officer who would be independent of this Board and would look into the complaints as regards with conflict of interest of the administrators, players and the staff.
Secondly, the Board would lay down the norms and would take forward the measures to prevent corruption in this game, for which the Board would arrange programmes for educating the players. With the help of the Secretary (Anurag Thakur) who is a sitting member of parliament, we would like to sit with the government officials to see and work out if we can get certain investigative agencies. The Board does not have any investigative powers and therefore our hands are tied. This will help rule out the corruption in the game so that we can restore the faith of cricketing fans (and assure them) that the game is clean.
Thirdly, a lot of debate goes on that the associations are being paid huge money by the BCCI and nobody knows where it goes ā whether it is spent on cricketing activities or otherwise. The accounts of all the associations are audited by their own auditors. We would build a system by which accounts of the affiliated bodies will be audited by an independent auditor appointed by the BCCI, based on which further money will be released to these state associations. The Board would also be empowered to take any other action in case it finds that the money given to the state association is not being properly utilised.
There is another grievance against the Board that it is not transparent and everything is kept under wraps. I feel that this problem could be sorted out by putting on the official BCCI website the constitution of the Board, all the rules and regulations of the Board and any expenditure made by the Board in excess of Rs. 25 lakhs, so that people are aware on what activities the Board spends its money. At the end of the year we can put the balance sheet of the Board on the website so that it is available to the general public and there is transparency in the activities of the Board. Nothing wrong is being done in the BCCI but there is a perception that is being created in the minds of the people that because the information does not come out, there is definitely something wrong. To clear that myth and change the perception we have to do this immediately.
The Board would also look into starting of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) again whose activities are not up to the mark as on date. And we would see to it that the NCA functions round the year so that cricketing talent is developed in this country. Today we are short in the second line; there are no spinners in this country. It is also our duty to see to it that we have an available lot for the replacement for the current players.
The Board would also like to develop womenās cricket and we would enter into contracts with them as we do with the menās team. That would promote the game and more and more women players would love to play this game.
I would also like to say that the records of the Board which are lying in different places should be made available at the Board headquarters so that any member association or their representative can access these records at any given time.
There is a World Cup (World Twenty20) event that is coming up in March-April 2016 and our priority would be to conduct that event in the best possible manner.
Lastly, I would like to inform you all that there are two powers vested in me by the constitution of the BCCI.
One, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) there is a chairmanās vote and a casting vote. I do not agree that the chairman should have a vote because a person should not be equated with an association. Therefore, I assure you all that I would not exercise the right of the chairmanās vote at the AGM till the constitution is amended.
Secondly, there is a right given to the chairman to decide on a dispute with regards to a vote. Through this, we have seen since many years that minorities are converted into majorities because it is again an arbitrary power which is given to the chairman. I would not exercise that power as well. I would put the dispute to the house and would decide on the dispute taking into account the majority of the house.
I ask you for two months. In two months all the things about which I have spoken would be implemented in full force. And I would also need your (media) support because it is you people who build our image before the general public at large. When we incorporate these reforms, you must also highlight the good that the Board is doing. It is not only the duty of the Board but also the media to show that this game is clean and transparent and restore the faith of cricket loving fans in this country.
