SC's verdict on Lodha panel may force five UP cricket administrators to relinquish their positions

Kanpur: With the Supreme Court upholding major recommendations of the RM Lodha Committee, the severe brunt of the clean-up will be faced by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) as all five of its “70 plus” directors and the treasurer will have to relinquish their positions. According to information from reliable sources, all UPCA director’s are above 70 years. This includes Shuaib Ahmed (78), Prem Dhar Pathak (83), Madan Mohan Mishra (83), Satish Kumar Agarwal (79), and Jyoti Bajpai (80). Moreover, UPCA treasurer KN Tandon (80) is also above the age bar. [caption id=“attachment_2578028” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Justice RM Lodha. PTI[/caption] The Supreme Court on Monday accepted major suggestions of the Lodha panel, including a bar on ministers and civil servants and those above 70 from becoming BCCI’s members. The apex court also ruled that one person should hold just one post, which will force UPCA CEO Dipak Sharma and senior selection committee member Gyanendra Pandey to forego their position under “Conflict of Interest”. This comes into effect as Sharma’s son plays for the U-19 team. The scope of ‘Conflict of interest’ will also cover IPL chairman and UPCA Secretary Rajeev Shukla as he presently holds these two positions. However, according to the UPCA officials, Shukla does not come under the ambit of committee’s recommendations as according to them the post of IPL chairman is not directly under the BCCI. The former Ranji cricketers are delighted with the verdict as now they will get an opportunity to be a part of UPCA. A former UP Ranji player said that the implementation of the recommendations of Lodha Committee will provide them a chance to work in UPCA. He added, until now the association was ruled by those who have never held a bat and the players were forced to accept their decisions.