Anurag Thakur relieved after Supreme Court lifts nine-year BCCI ban:Ex-BCCI president, allowed to be part of board proceedings, faced perjury allegations

Nine years after being removed from the BCCI president, BJP leader and Himachal Pradesh MP Anurag Thakur has received relief as the Supreme Court has lifted the restriction on him from holding positions in the Indian cricket board. The SC stated the ruling on Thursday as it modified its January 2017 order that had barred the former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from the affairs of the cricket body. The apex court said Thakur, a former Union minister, is free to participate in the affairs of the BCCI according to rules and regulations. On January 2, 2017, the apex court had directed Thakur to forthwith “cease and desist” from being associated with the working of the board. Supreme Court modifies its own verdict to lift the ban on Anurag Thakur While dealing with an application filed by Thakur seeking modification of the 2017 order, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on Thursday applied the doctrine of proportionality and modified the direction. The bench said, “We find it a fit case to apply the doctrine of proportionality, so as to hold that neither this court intended to impose a lifelong ban nor, in the facts and circumstances of this case, such a severe embargo is otherwise warranted.” Also Read: ‘Mindset is clear, we’re going to Colombo,’ says Suryakumar Yadav on India Pakistan clash uncertainty in T20 WC Notably, Thakur stayed away from the workings of the BCCI for a period of over nine years. The bench also observed that Thakur had earlier tendered an unqualified apology, which was accepted by the apex court. Why did SC refrain Thakur from attending BCCI activities? In 2017, the Supreme Court issued a notice to Anurag Thakur seeking an explanation on why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The Court had asked him to respond to allegations of perjury raised against him in connection with seeking an intervention through a letter from the ICC to bypass the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations. The apex court had initiated contempt and perjury proceedings against Thakur on January 2, 2017, for filing a false affidavit regarding writing to the then International Cricket Council (ICC) chairperson Shashank Manohar on the issue of the BCCI’s autonomy. On July 14, 2017, the top court granted relief to Thakur and dropped the contempt and perjury proceedings against him after he tendered an unconditional and unequivocal apology to it in person. Also Read: WATCH | Won’t play against India, says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Supreme Court tried to introduce reform measures by Lodha Committee The top court had earlier constituted a committee headed by former CJI Justice R M Lodha to suggest reform measures, including framing of a constitution for the cash-rich cricket body. The apex court had accepted the recommendations made by the committee providing for reforms in the structure, organisation and working of the BCCI.