Verma looks to stop deferment of BCCI AGM

Aditya Verma, the secretary of the Cricket Association of Bihar and the petitioner in the IPL corruption case, has requested relevant authorities, like the Inspector General of Registration, Tamil Nadu, to stop the BCCI from postponing its annual general meeting (AGM).

The BCCI elections, which are scheduled to be held during the AGM, need to be conducted before September 30, according to the board's constitution rules. Doubts over the AGM emerged after a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court rejected Srinivasan's appeal to be reinstated as BCCI president, which would have allowed him to chair the AGM and likely stand for a third term as BCCI president.

The Court also approved a two-month extension to the Mudgal Committee's probe into corruption during last year's IPL and said Srinivasan could not be reinstated in keeping with an earlier order from the court which had said that he could resume office only at the end of the IPL investigation.

Since the BCCI is registered as a not-for-profit organisation in Tamil Nadu under the Society Registration Act, its AGM cannot be postponed without prior approval of the Registrar.

Verma has, therefore, filed a submission to the Inspector General of Registration in the Tamil Nadu government requesting the Registrar that the AGM should not be deferred. In his submission, Verma stated: "... It is anticipated that from your end the endeavour certainly will be in favour so that scheduled meeting of AGM be held in time in the interest and integrity of BCCI."

The BCCI is also set to approach the Registrar of Tamil Nadu for extending the AGM in the midst of the prevailing conundrum and is likely to buy more time to convene the AGM on grounds of non-completion of annual accounts. An informal meeting on Sunday could also decide whether the BCCI will look to convene or delay the meeting.

Verma, in his plea, has cited that "for the past 86 years there is not even a single instance" of the BCCI having postponed the AGM.

In 2004, the AGM was convened and then adjourned for three weeks with Sharad Pawar and Ranbir Singh Mahendra, Jagmohan Dalmiya's proxy candidate, were engaged in a close battle for the BCCI presidency.