Why was the Lodha Panel set up?
In 2015 the Supreme Court appointed a panel headed by Justice RM Lodha to determine punishments for those found guilty in 2013's IPL spot-fixing scandal. The panel was also tasked to propose changes to the way BCCI was structured and governed, in order to prevent sporting frauds and conflict of interests among other issues that concerned the court.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has finally had to pay for ignoring Supreme Court's order by not implementing the Lodha Committee reforms as the board president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke have been sacked from their posts by the top court. The apex court on Monday fired the BCCI top brass, and asked Thakur and Shirkey to demit office. All BCCI office bearers who have not followed the norms of Lodha panel to demit office. The Apex court has also issued a show cause notice to Anurag Thakur and Shirkey and asked why they should not be tried for perjury and contempt.   The BCCI and the SC-appointed Lodha Panel have been at loggerheads for a while now. It all started when the spot-fixing scandal broke out during the Indian Premier League in 2013 leading to developments that forced the top court to intervene.Subsequently, the Mudgal Committee was appointed by the Supreme Court, which submitted its report and pointed out irregularities pertaining to the IPL. To help things move further, the Supreme Court appointed a panel in January 2015 headed by former Chief Justice of India, RM Lodha. In July, the panel suspended IPL franchises Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) for two years, while the teams' co-owners Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra were banned for life from cricket. (BCCI refuses to blink again, says will not accept Lodha reforms in totality)Later, the Lodha panel suggested a set of comprehensive reforms for the BCCI to implement. A few of those recommendations were challenged by BCCI and then the apex court had a final word and set a deadline for the the board to implement the suggested reforms in its totality. But, the BCCI continued to stand its ground. Meanwhile, the apex court also asked Thakur to file an affidavit to explain why he had asked the ICC to interfere in the proceedings and submit it to the court on October 17. SGM's were held and the BCCI decided to decline certain orders of the Lodha panel. (BCCI setting dangerous precedent with its defiance of Supreme Court)After the continued defiance, the Lodha committee asked the Supreme Court to sack the 'top brass' of the BCCI and install former Home Secretary GK Pillai as an observer of the BCCI with power to appoint an auditor, and guide the BCCI administration, particularly on the award of contracts and on transparency. With BCCI standing firm continuously with only three state associations - Hyderabad, Vidarbha and Tripura - agreeing to implement the recommendations in full. (Supreme Court to BCCI chief Anurag Thakur: Apologise or go to jail for perjury)The Supreme Court in its latest hearing threatened the BCCI president Anurag Thakur that he can land in serious trouble as the Supreme Court said he should go to jail over his attempt to obstruct justice following his approach to the ICC for writing to the Supreme Court for government intervention.As the New Year kicks in, the BCCI vs Lodha stand-off may finally come to an end as the court is scheduled to give its final verdict today. Let's have a look at how the developments took place over the years in the battle between BCCI and Lodha:MAY 2013: SPOT-FIXING SCANDALThe arrest of S Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila (all Rajasthan Royals' players) on spot-fixing charges revealed a nexus between bookies, players and franchise members. CSK team principal, Meiyappan was arrested after being questioned for spot-fixing charges.OCTOBER 2013: SC APPOINTS MUDGAL COMMITTEE To further investigate the spot-fixing scandal and to a matter of BCCI, Supreme Court appointed a committee headed by Justice Mukul Mudgal.NOVEMBER 2014: CSK, RR FOUND GUILTY The Mudgal committee found that IPL COO Sundar Raman, Meiyappan and Kundra were guilty for betting. In its report, Mudgal also mentioned about then BCCI chief N Srinivasan, who didn't take any actions against them despite knowing about their violations.JANUARY 2015: SC APPOINTS LODHA PANEL The Supreme Court appointed another panel headed by Justice (Retd) RM Lodha to determine punishments for those found guilty in IPL spot-fixing scandal. The Lodha panel was also tasked to suggest reforms for BCCI. (BCCI's key differences with the Lodha panel)JULY 2015: LODHA PANEL SUSPENDS CSK AND RR FOR 2 YEARSThe Lodha panel in a landmark judgement suspended CSK and RR for two years and banned its owners for life. However, players of both the franchises were allowed to be auctioned for other franchises.JANUARY 2016: PANEL RECOMMENDS COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF BCCIThe Lodha panel recommended sweeping changes to the board's power structure. The recommendations included - one-vote-one-state criteria, limiting tenure of office bearers and also barring ministers over 70 holding any position in the board or state associations.The panel also suggested to set up a separate players' associations (men and women).FEBRUARY 2016: SUPREME COURT SETS DEADLINE FOR BCCILodha panel had given BCCI time till January 31 to get back with suggestions, but they didn't and forcing the committee to knock Supreme Court's door. The apex court gave the board a deadline till March 3 to respond to guidelines suggested by Lodha panel.FEBRUARY 2016: BCCI POINTS OUT OBJECTIONS TO LODHA REPORTBCCI and the state cricket associations had problems in implementing few of key recommendations made by Lodha panel. The board had objections to the one-state-one-vote and the "cooling off" period. The Lodha panel also suggested for a three-member selection committee, to which the BCCI had objections.MARCH 2016: BCCI DETAILS RESERVATION AGAINST REPORTIn a 55-page counter-affidavit submitted in the court, BCCI stated that it partially accepted some of the reforms, but had concerns on many of the recommendations presented by the Lodha panel.APRIL 2016: COURT SLAMS BCCI'S DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDSThe Supreme Court criticised BCCI's method of disbursing funds to state associations saying it was being done without any particular mechanism. During this particular hearing, the court also turned down BCCI's request to review one-state-one-vote recommendation made by Lodha panel.MAY 2016: COURT CALLS BCCI CONSTITUTION NON TRANSPARENTThe Supreme Court observed that the BCCI's constitution was incapable of achieving the values of transparency, objectivity and accountability.While hearing a matter related to implementation of Lodha reforms by BCCI, the Supreme Court said: "The inherent constitution of the BCCI is such that it is highly incapable of achieving the values of transparency, objectivity and accountability (such) that without changing its structure it can't be done so."SEPTEMBER 2016: PANEL MAKES PLEA TO REPLACE BCCI TOP BRASSLodha Committee asked the Supreme Court to direct the "immediate" supercession of the current BCCI top brass for blatant violations of the July 18 Supreme Court judgment directing them to implement the panel's recommendations for transparency in cricket administration.SEPTEMBER 2016: SC ASKS BCCI TO 'FALL IN LINE' OR FACE ACTIONReferring to Justice RM Lodha's suggestion to remove BCCI's top brass, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India TS Thakur blasted the cricket board. "BCCI thinks they are a law unto themselves. They are wrong. You behave like lords. Fall in line or else we will make you."OCTOBER 2016: BCCI HOLDS SGM, REJECT CERTAIN REFORMSBCCI rejected some of the Supreme Court's key recommendations aimed at administrative reform. The BCCI, after a marathon special general meeting, said in a statement it had adopted "important recommendations" made by the committee but made no mention of the age and tenure recommendations nor a "one state/one vote" policy.OCTOBER  2016: BCCI DISBURSES FUNDS TO STATE ASSOCIATIONSBCCI after a emergent meeting decided to distribute Rs 1,100 crore to state associations. But on learing the development, Lodha panel stepped in and asked the banks to stop disbursing money to state associations. BCCI president Anurag Thakur told in a press conference that the third Test between India and New Zealand in Indore is in jeopardy because of this order. However, Justice Lodha himself clarified that banks will release funds required for daily operation of the board and the Indore Test doesn't faces the threat of being called off.OCTOBER 2016: SUBMIT UNCONDITIONAL UNDERTAKING, THEN WE WON'T PASS ORDERThe apex court decided to pass an order on the issue of implementation of directions of the Lodha committee after BCCI declined to give an "unconditional undertaking.OCTOBER 2016: SC GIVES INTERIM ORDER, STOPS FUNDS TO STATE ASSOCIATIONSThe Supreme Court barred BCCI from releasing any funds to its state affiliates until they give an unconditional undertaking that they will comply with the organisational reforms as recommended by the Justice Lodha Committee.OCTOBER 2016: SC ASKS THAKUR TO FILE AFFIDAVIT ON TALKS WITH ICCThe Supreme Court directed Thakur to file an affidavit and clarify whether he had asked the ICC to write that Lodha Recommendations amounted to government interference. This was reportedly claimed by ICC Chief Executive Dave Richardson in some recent media interactions.OCTOBER 2016: BCCI HOLDS MEET, MEMBERS REJECT CERTAIN REFORMS At a SGM, the BCCI agreed to implement some important recommendations but they remained defiant of some key reforms. The members decided that the age restriction of 70 years for board officials, the tenure cap of nine years with cooling-off periods, and the one-state-one-vote policy, among others can't be implemented.NOVEMBER 2016: PANEL URGES SC TO REMOVE BCCI TOP BRASSAfter continued defiance, the RM Lodha committee recommended the sacking of all office bearers of the BCCI and its state associations.NOVEMBER 2016: PANEL URGES SC TO APPOINT GK PILLAI AS BCCI OBSERVERThe Supreme Court suggested the appointment of former Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai as an observer in the apex body. In a fresh status report filed to the Supreme Court, the panel asked that Pillai be appointed as observer with power to appoint an auditor, and guide the BCCI administration, particularly on the award of contracts and on transparency.DECEMBER 2016: BCCI HOLD MEET, CONTINUES TO OPPOSE REFORMSBCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said there was no change in their stand on the recommendations made by the RM Lodha Panel after a meeting.Only three state associations - Hyderabad, Vidarbha and Tripura - had agreed to implement the recommendations in full, while others rejected it. DECEMBER 2016: SC SLAMS BCCI PRESIDENT FOR APPROACHING ICCBCCI president Anurag Thakur landed in serious trouble after the Supreme Court said he should go to jail over his attempt to obstruct justice.Thakur had, according to International Cricket Council CEO Dave Richardson, asked the international cricket body chairman to furnish the Indian board with a letter that indicated the Supreme Court order was like government intervention. The ICC does not allow government intervention in the functioning of its member boards and they could even be suspended. However, Thakur and BCCI have denied asking for any such letter from the ICC. DECEMBER 2016: BCCI IN PROBLEM, FINAL VERDICT ON JANUARY 2BCCI president Anurag Thakur conceded that the current crisis facing the board is not in the best interest of cricketers but the body will have to keep everything on hold till Supreme Court gives it's verdict on January 2.