The last few weeks, has seen Lalit Modi, the former chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL) issue a series of legal proceedings to attempt to stay the BCCI’s special General Meeting (SGM).
However, having been given the go ahead by The Supreme Court, once the meeting finally started yesterday, at 2 pm, a swift and unanimous decision was quickly taken to expel Modi from the BCCI itself.
The expulsion was proposed by Anirudh Chaudhary, the Haryana Cricket Association secretary, and was seconded by Ranjib Biswal, the Orissa Cricket Association president.
The BCCI announced that it had discussed the findings of the disciplinary committee against Modi, as well as considering the contents of a letter submitted by Modi himself to the board secretary on September 24, in which he had requested that the meeting be postponed.
The BCCI went on to state that at the SGM, it had discussed and agreed that Modi was guilty of serious mis-conduct and indiscipline, and that it was expelling Mr Lalit Modi from the BCCI under the powers as per Regulation 32 of the Memorandum and Rules and Regulations of the Board.
As a result of the expulsion, Modi loses all his rights and privileges as a cricket Administrator, and he will no longer be entitled to hold any position or office on the BCCI, nor will he be allowed to sit on any of the board’s committees.
Despite the findings of the BCCI, and the result of the SGM, Modi has vowed to continue to fight the board. He has said that the ban was no surprise, as it was the result that he was expecting. But he added that in his opinion, it is a sad result for Indian cricket, as it displays the BCCI’s lack of concern for the game’s integrity.
Although Modi was expelled for serious mis-conduct, he believes that Indian cricket needs cleansing, and the “cosy club” as he describes the BCCI, is where he intends to start his battle.
Modi had been found guilty by the BCCI’s disciplinary committee on eight charges of “various acts of indiscipline and misconduct”. All the charges, related to financial and administrative irregularities within the IPL (a competition that he founded), including the sale of franchise and media rights.