Desk: The Supreme Court on Thursday lifted the ban on BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Anurag Singh Thakur from participating in the work of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The court made it clear that banning the former BCCI President for life was neither its intention nor was it right. Thakur was the President of BCCI from May 2015 to February 2017.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said it was “a fit case to apply the principle of proportionality” and made it clear that the court “did not intend, nor is there a need, to impose a lifetime ban.” Accordingly, the court modified paragraph 25(ii) of the January 2, 2017 judgment and said that Thakur will now be free to participate in the affairs of the BCCI.

During the hearing, the Court also noted that Directions 3 and 4 of the judgment dated 2 January 2017 had already been withdrawn. This application was only to the restriction imposed under paragraph 25(ii). The lawyer appearing for Thakur said that the ban was in force for about nine years and its continuation would cause serious problems. On this, the bench also acknowledged that Thakur had already tendered an unconditional apology, which was accepted by the court.

In 2017, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to Anurag Thakur, in which he was asked why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The court had sought his reply through a letter from the ICC to the charges of perjury leveled against him in connection with interference to prevent the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations. The court was now hearing the petition filed by Thakur, in which he had sought relief in relation to the contempt action arising after the order of January 2, 2017.

On January 2, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to Thakur asking why contempt action should not be initiated against him. On this, the court had also sought Thakur’s reply on the allegations of perjury leveled against him by amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam. On December 15, the top court had said that Thakur had, prima facie, committed perjury by seeking ICC’s intervention through a letter to avoid implementing the Lodha Committee recommendations. Now, the court concluded that continuation of the ban was wrong and no longer necessary.

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