The current BCCI president Roger Binny became 70 years old on Saturday but no clear immediate indication is available regarding whether he would be continuing until the AGM in September or resigning from office with effect from immediately with Rajeev Shukla, the vice-president, becoming the acting head. To put another spin on the story, in the pipeline is a Draft National Sports Bill that will be brought to the parliament's monsoon session by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and it has a provision of raising the ceiling of an age limit to 75 from the current 70 for an administrator.
Though the Justice Lodha Committee-drafted BCCI constitution has retained the age limit of 70 for cricket's governing body but when the Sports Bill is enacted, the BCCI as a National Sports Federation (NSF) will fall under its purview.
While BCCI does not rely on government grants but with Indian cricket squads all ready to be part of the Los Angeles Olympics 2028, it is likely that India's wealthiest sporting organization will hold to the new Sports Bill.
When PTI contacted sources around Binny, it was understood that the septuagenarian is likely to contact BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia and the legal department regarding the steps forward for him.
So what is the Draft Sports Bill saying regarding the Age Cap? According to Draft Bill which is with PTI, on page No. 8 in Chapter II under National Sports Bodies sub clause (2) (e), the rule of age-cap tenure is defined.
"A person shall not be qualified to contest election or seek, nomination to, the executive committee, unless that person complies with International Charters and Statutes and Bye-Laws relating to age and term of the executive committee: "Provided that person shall not be more than 70 years of age on the last date of the nomination for election: "Provided further that any person aged between 70 and 75 years may contest elections or seek nominations if permitted by the international charters and statutes and the bye-laws and in such case, person elected shall serve full term." If one interprets the age-clause, then in theory, if someone aged 69 years and 364 days on the date of nomination, if elected for any office bearer's post can continue his full term beyond the age of 70 once the bill comes into effect.
Though Binny, on Saturday, attained the age of 70 years, the BCCI age-cap for any office bearer, the new Sports Bill, if enacted by August can ensure that the 1983 World Cup hero at the top job once more, and he can have a further three year term if not five, with a rider, of course.
Assuming that the influential individuals, who drive the boat at the BCCI, choose that Binny can be prolonged for another three if not five years under new bill, if the international organization (ICC in this instance) hasn't got any age-cap clause, then one can remain up to 75 years.
Until now, ICC charter hasn't got any age-cap regulation in other sporting organizations like FIFA and IOC.
Where does that leave Shukla then? Until the Bill is implemented, the Congress Rajya Sabha MP can remain the temporary leader even if not explicitly put in letter and spirit.
But within the BCCI itself, there are unofficial discussions and deliberations as to whether Shukla should be elevated for two months or silently wait for the Sports Bill to be implemented.
There exists a school of thought within the BCCI circles that the post of president should rather be held by some of the past India cricketer of distinction like Sourav Ganguly or Binny.
