Shirke mulling resignation: report
New Delhi: Slamming BCCI President N Srinivasan for not calling a meeting of the Board to discuss his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan’s arrest on betting charges, Board Treasurer Ajay Shirke on Thursday said that he is mulling quitting from his post on the issue, according to a report. Shirke, who on Wednesday called for Srinivasan’s resignation on moral grounds, said he will wait and see for a few days before taking a decision. “If Board continues to ignore what I consider is primary responsibility, I will find it difficult for myself to be associated with it. I will wait and see. A few days, maybe within a week, I will make up my mind. If there’s going to be more and more room for fingers to be pointed, I will have to take a call ... I cannot let my personal reputation and credibility be tarnished. That for me stands above everything else,” Shirke said. “I am not satisfied. Normally whenever there’s a crisis — small, major, any kind of crisis — we call for a (working committee) meeting. On every such occasion, the president calls for a meeting, and the issue is discussed in great detail by every member of the working committee. That has been the prevalent way,” Shirke said. “Even when players were arrested, there was an emergent meeting. Then we had a follow-up meeting in Chennai. Then the president came before the media and explained all the measures that had been taken. There hasn’t been anything on this (Gurunath arrest) issue,” he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “If the president calls for a meeting and puts his views across and hears out other units - you don’t necessarily need to change your position - it would follow the proper procedure. Otherwise, the media trial will go on and on.”
HOME MINISTRY yet to receive PROBE request
New Delhi: The Home Ministry said on Thursday it has not received any request from the BCCI or any other quarters to probe the conduct of all the 75 IPl matches in the wake of spot-fixing and betting allegations. “We are yet to receive a request from the BCCI or any other relevant quarters for a probe in the IPl matters,” Union Home Secretary R K Singh told reporters here. His comments came in response to a question on Agriculture Minister and former BCCI President Sharad Pawar’s demand for a Home Ministry probe into all the 75 matches of the IPl. “let the request come to us and we will consider it. Till then it is completely hypothetical,” Singh said.
HC notice for promoting liquor brands in IPl
New Delhi: The Centre, BCCI and a TV channel have been directed by the Delhi High Court to respond to a PIl alleging that Indian Premium league (IPl) platform was used for promotion of liquor brands and it was aired by the channel in violation of law. A division bench of Chief Justice D Murugesan and Justice Jayant Nath issued notices to the Home Ministry, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sony entertainment channel and also to the city government’s excise department seeking their reply by August 14. The bench was hearing a PIl filed by Asif Khan, an advocate, alleging that the government had allowed airing of cricket event wherein a blatant abuse of the platform was being adopted to promote liquor of various brands and companies in complete violation of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act and the Rules. The petitioner alleged that the Centre had failed to discharge its duties to ensure that such violations are curbed.
Srinivasan will be forced to quit: lele
Mumbai: Beleaguered BCCI President N Srinivasan will eventually have to step down as the choice before him is to go out honourably or exit unceremoniously in the wake of the IPl spot-fixing scandal, former Board Secretary Jaywant lele said on Thursday. “Mr Srinivasan has no option except to resign on moral grounds. It’s his responsibility to resign. He has no right to continue,” lele said. The ex-Secretary said all BCCI needs is that 10 full members of the Board should make a written submission to convene a Special General Meeting with one point agenda (removal of Srinivasan). To impeach the BCCI chief, a 3/4th majority of the full members present and voting is needed.
Goa, Assamofficials urge Srini to go
New Delhi: The voices of dissent against BCCI President N Srinivasan are becoming louder by the day with officials from the Goa and Assam Cricket Association joining the chorus of demand for his resignation in the aftermath of the IPl spot-fixing scandal. Srinivasan might have claimed that the Board is firmly behind him but the tide seems to be turning against him in the last couple of days. PNS/Agencies