The Supreme Court has lifted the ban on BJP MP Anurag Thakur, allowing him to hold office in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after nearly nine years. The ban was modified by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who stated that the ban was not meant to be a lifelong disqualification. Thakur, a Member of Parliament from Himachal Pradesh, can now participate in BCCI’s internal affairs as per its rules.
The Supreme Court’s order highlighted that the ban had lasted almost a decade and that Thakur had already apologized unconditionally. Thakur was removed as BCCI president in 2017 for failing to implement reforms suggested by the Justice R. M. Lodha Committee. The Court had then directed Thakur and the BCCI secretary to stop their association with the cricket body’s operations.
Thakur’s removal was a result of the BCCI’s resistance to implementing reforms mandated by the Supreme Court. The Court had not only barred Thakur from the BCCI but also appointed a Committee of Administrators to oversee the cricket board’s functions.
