Pawar to step down voluntarily as Mumbai chief

Veteran administrator and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Sharad Pawar has said he will voluntarily step down as the state association’s head within the next six months, given he will not qualify to continue in the post as per the Lodha Committee’s reforms.

The Lodha Committee had recommended, among other things, that there be caps on age and duration of tenure of elected office bearers of the BCCI and state associations. These proposals were signed off on by the Supreme Court on July 18, and Pawar does not qualify on both grounds, being over 70 years of age and having served as an office bearer for over nine years. The court said the proposals would have to be implemented by the BCCI and its members within six months of the date of issue of the order.

“As per the Supreme Court guidelines, I can continue [as MCA president] for six months, not beyond that. After that khushi se alvida [I will happily bid goodbye],” Pawar said following the MCA’s managing committee meeting, from where it emerged that the state association will accept all the Lodha reforms in total. “I am quite happy to retire because Supreme Court has said nobody above 70 can continue. Secondly, Supreme Court has said about [the maximum period of] nine years, so I come in both categories, and therefore I should not expect to continue.”

Pawar admitted that most of MCA’s elected officials will have to vacate office, but said he was confident the …

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