Government wants BCCI election to take place as per National Sports Governance Act: Report

The Sports Ministry would like the much-awaited BCCI elections in September to be conducted as per the National Sports Governance Act but the cricketing body can hold them under the Supreme Court-approved Lodha Committee recommendations if the new legislation’s rules are not notified by that time, a sports ministry source said on Thursday.

The ministry is aiming for the bill’s full-fledged implementation in the next six months but intends to have the detailed guidelines and regulations for its execution notified much earlier.

“Ideally the elections should be held as per the act but in case the rules are not notified in time, they may go ahead as per Lodha Committee recommendations,” the source said.

“Once the rules are notified, all NSFs, including the BCCI, will have to hold elections as per its norms,” the source said.

Roger Binny to get new term as BCCI prez?

While the Lodha Committee recommendations caps the age of an office-bearer at 70, the new act allows those between the bracket of 70-75 to contest elections if the byelaws and statutes of their international governing body allow for it. The ICC has no age cap in its provisions for office-bearers.

BCCI President Roger Binny’s tenure has ended as he has attained the age of 70. However, the Board has not announced an interim president so far.

The elections are due in the last week of September when the Board holds its Annual General Meeting.

No word on BFI elections 

The Boxing Federation of India held its elections amid a lingering court battle on constitutional amendments that prevented Anurag Thakur from fighting for the President’s post. Neither the sports ministry, nor the Indian Olympic Association sent its observers despite the BFI interim committee’s request.

The ministry said it would adopt a wait-and-watch approach for now.

“We have already told the Delhi High Court that we do not think that the procedure followed in the conduct of these elections is right. We will wait now and see what the court says,” the ministry source said.

The High Court has set September 23 as the next date of hearing.

Real-money online games ruining youth

The ministry source also lauded the ‘Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025’ , which was passed in Parliament on Thursday. The bill seeks to ban real money gaming that has been deemed as a “serious social, financial, psychological and public health harm”.

“We have to protect youngsters who are getting addicted to this and wasting away time, and money,” the source said.

Issues raised by Parliamentary committee will be fixed

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on sports has declared Sports Authority of India (SAI) “critically” under-funded and under-staffed and also raised concerns around the lack of fund utilisation in the government’s flagship Khelo India Scheme.

The ministry said their concerns would be addressed.

“We would never call a report of this stature wrong. If there are shortcomings, they will be addressed,” the source said.