The top leadership of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will face the charges of 'Contempt of Court' if they decide not to appear in front of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Panel to discuss the implementation of the Apex Court's verdict within next six months, sources said from the panel today.
BCCI’s newly appointed legal advisor Justice Markandey Katju today termed the Lodha panel as "null and void" and asked the board not to meet the Supreme Court appointed committee on August 9 -- the scheduled date of meeting. He has advised the Board to file a review petition before a larger bench of the apex court.
A source close to the Lodha Panel said that if BCCI wants to skip the meeting the only way to do it is by filing a review petition and getting a stay order on the Supreme Court verdict passed on July 18 by 11 am on August 9.
"If they want to go by Justice Katju's advice, they need to file a review petition in Supreme Court and get a stay order on the verdict by 11 am on August 9 -- that is Tuesday,” the source said.
“If they fail to procure a stay order and even then skip the meeting, it will be considered as Contempt of Court," the source close to panel told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
When asked about the scathing observations made by Justice Katju in his interim report, the source said: "The panel would not like to make any comments as Justice Katju is irrelevant in this matter. The committee can't be expected to make comments on each and every issue."
Former Supreme Court judge Katju, who was recently appointed by the BCCI to advice on SC verdict on implementation of Justice Lodha committee recommendations, today said, “What the Supreme Court has done is unconstitutional and illegal. There has been violation of principles of the Constitution. Under our Constitution, we have legislature, executive and judiciary. There is broad separation of functions. It's the legislature's prerogative to make laws. If judiciary starts making laws, one is setting a dangerous precedent."
"I have advised them (BCCI) to file a review petition before a larger bench. In this case, the Supreme Court outsourced a committee (referring to Lodha Committee) to decide on BCCI's punishment," he said.
BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke however said that the Board will study the interim report prepared by Justice Katju and then take a call.
(With PTI inputs)
