BCCI Gears Up for Leadership Elections at Special General Meeting

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai during the second week of January to appoint a new secretary and treasurer. This follows the resignations of Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar from their respective positions.

The decision to convene the SGM was finalized during an urgent virtual meeting of the BCCI Apex Council on Thursday evening. Sources revealed that the notices for the meeting were dispatched just a day earlier, reflecting the urgency of the situation. The council approved the SGM and left it to the office-bearers to finalize the specifics, including the date and venue, with an announcement expected by Friday, December 20. According to BCCI regulations, the meeting must be announced with a minimum notice of 21 days, suggesting it will take place on January 11 or 12, with January 12 being a strong possibility.

Jay Shah stepped down as secretary on November 30 to assume the role of Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Meanwhile, Ashish Shelar resigned as treasurer on December 15 after joining the new Maharashtra government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The BCCI constitution prohibits individuals holding ministerial roles from serving as office-bearers.

In the interim, BCCI president Roger Binny invoked his constitutional powers to assign the secretary’s duties to joint secretary Devjit Saikia. However, as of Thursday, no similar arrangement had been made for the treasurer's responsibilities.

Under the BCCI’s constitutional guidelines, any vacancies in office-bearer positions must be filled within 45 days. This means the election of a new secretary must occur by January 15, with the proposed SGM date comfortably meeting the deadline.

The upcoming SGM is not just a procedural requirement but a pivotal moment in Indian cricket administration, as it will determine the leadership driving future decisions.