Anil Divan replaces Fali Nariman, to help Supreme Court pick BCCI observer

Fali Nariman, who was former Solicitor General of India and was asked by Supreme Court help them pick administrators for BCCI, has been replaced by senior lawyer Anil Divan.

Fali Nariman, who was asked by the Supreme Court to help them pick administrators for the BCCI following the verdict to sack Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke as BCCI president and secretary, has been replaced by senior lawyer Anil Divan.

Anurag Thakur was sacked as president of the BCCI by the Supreme Court after the Indian board did not implement the Justice Lodha panel reforms. (AFP)

Fali Nariman, who was former Solicitor General of India, along with Gopal Subramaniam, who was amicus curiae in the BCCI-Lodha Panel stand-off, was asked by Supreme Court to assist in selecting an observer for BCCI. The apex court reiterated that all reforms suggested by Lodha panel have to implemented in full. The reforms were made binding on the BCCI in July 2016, but the board kept defying them.

Nariman told a bench headed by Chief Justice TS Thakur that he had represented the Indian Board as a lawyer in 2009 and hence, did not want to be part of this exercise. Anil Divan replaced veteran Nariman. The Supreme Court is expected to make an announcement on January 19, the date of the next hearing.

The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, then asked Anil Divan to work with senior advocate Subramaniam and suggest names of the administrators for running the BCCI.

The court had asked the two lawyers to suggest names of possible administrators within two weeks.

In a landmark verdict on January 2, the Supreme Court passed the judgment to sack Thakur and Shirke for not implementing the Lodha Panel reforms.