BCCI Presidency plunges into uncertainty with current president Roger Binny turning 70 which is the upper age limit.
Regarding the BCCI presidency, there is some misunderstanding. There are still concerns about incumbent Roger Binny’s eligibility to continue in the position given that he turned 70, which is the upper age limit for any BCCI office-bearer according to the Supreme Court-approved BCCI constitution. On Saturday, Binny turned 70.
Any office-bearer who turns 70 will be disqualified, per the BCCI constitution (Page 30). He should be succeeded automatically by the vice president, in this case Rajeev Shukla. But according to people close to the former World Cup winner and all-rounder for India, he can keep his job until the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September without having to sign any formal paperwork.
The Sports Bill (Sports Governance Bill), which is anticipated to be introduced and passed during the current Monsoon Session of Parliament, is another factor contributing to the uncertainty. The proposed law does not impose a stringent age limit, in contrast to the present BCCI constitution, which permits national sports federation office-bearers to remain in office until they are 75 years old. Mansukh Mandaviya, the minister of sports, is anticipated to present the measure, which would “override the constitutions of all national sports federations.”
The BCCI has not yet released an official statement on the subject. Top officials were not immediately accessible for comment because they were attending the recently finished ICC Annual Conference in Singapore. Nonetheless, a source with knowledge of the situation stated that it is recognised that clarity might surface in the days ahead.
Binny himself could not be reached for comment. He took a vacation in Thailand to commemorate his milestone birthday after returning to his hometown of Bengaluru from London, where he had attended the Lord’s Test. His daughters and grandchildren, who travelled in from Australia, are reportedly with him while he is on vacation on an island close to Thailand.