Anurag Thakur gets relief as Supreme Court lifts nine-year BCCI ban

The Supreme Court of India officially lifted the long-standing ban on former Indian cricket board (BCCI) President Anurag Thakur on Thursday, February 5. The ruling marks the end of a nearly decade-long exile from cricket governance for the BJP Member of Parliament, who had been barred from the world’s wealthiest cricket body since early 2017. The decision has sent ripples through the sporting world, signalling a potential shift in the leadership landscape of Indian cricket as Thakur is now legally eligible to return to the boardroom.

The judgment was delivered by a Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, who modified a 2017 cease and desist order that had effectively frozen Thakur out of any official involvement with the BCCI. Invoking the legal Doctrine of Proportionality, the court observed that the original restriction was never intended to be a life sentence.

The Bench noted that Thakur had already served a substantial nine-year "cooling-off" period away from the game's administration and had previously tendered an unconditional apology for the conduct that led to his removal.

The legal saga originally began on January 2, 2017, when the Supreme Court, then led by CJI T.S. Thakur, removed Anurag Thakur from the presidency.

The court had taken a stern view of his alleged resistance to the Lodha Committee reforms, which were designed to bring transparency and accountability to the BCCI. Following allegations of misrepresenting facts to the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding government interference, Thakur faced contempt and perjury proceedings. While those specific charges were dropped in July 2017 after his apology, the restriction on holding office remained an active barrier until today's ruling.

This development paves the way for a veteran administrator to re-enter a space he once dominated. Before his removal, Thakur was considered a rising star in sports governance, having ascended from state-level leadership to the very top of the national board. His tenure was marked by rapid commercial expansion and the modernisation of infrastructure, though it eventually became entangled in the high-profile legal battle over the Lodha reforms.

Throughout his career, Anurag Thakur has held several high-ranking positions that have defined his influence in Indian sports. He first rose to prominence as the President of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) in 2000, where he spearheaded the construction of the iconic Dharamshala Stadium. He later served the BCCI as Joint Secretary (2011–2015) and Secretary (2015–2016) before becoming the youngest President of the BCCI in 2016.

Even during his absence from cricket, his administrative profile continued to grow as he served as the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports from 2021 to 2024, overseeing India's record-breaking performances at the Tokyo Olympics and the Asian Games.