Can't stop association elections, BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke tells Lodha panel

New Delhi: The BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke has responded to the letters sent by Lodha panel, stating that the parent body of Indian cricket cannot stop the state units from holding its elections. The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) are not having their elections on scheduled date after Supreme Court-appointed panel sent a letter to BCCI to intimate associations that all state unit elections to be put on hold. This was after the apex court verdict on July 18 as the reforms will take place in next six months. [caption id=“attachment_2795500” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke. Sportzpics/IPL[/caption] According to ESPN Cricinfo, Shirke wrote: “The BCCI is not empowered under any law to stop any electoral process which is mandated by any statute. Furthermore the Lodha Committee recommendations does not empower the BCCI to interfere with statutory and fundamental rights of citizens who are members of such associations.” However a source close to Committee maintains that BCCI were never ever asked to interfere in state units’ elections but merely intimate about panel’s decision that all elections will remain frozen till the reforms take place. “Yes, Ajay Shirke has replied to the letter that was sent to the BCCI office-bearers. Mr Shirke in his reply has stated that BCCI cannot stop state associations from having elections. But no one has told BCCI to stop the units from having elections. We have only said that they should intimate units that all elections are frozen. That stands,” a source close to Lodha Panel told PTI.