Supreme Court Lifts Anurag Thakur’s Nine-Year Ban on BCCI Involvement

The Supreme Court on Wednesday lifted the long-standing restriction on Anurag Thakur, bringing to an end a nearly nine-year ban that barred him from any role in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The decision clears the way for Thakur to once again participate in the administration of Indian cricket, subject to existing rules and regulations.

A bench of the apex court modified its 2017 order that had directed Thakur to cease and desist from associating with the functioning of the BCCI. While revisiting the matter, the court observed that the earlier direction was never intended to operate as a lifelong prohibition. Applying the principle of proportionality, the bench noted that Thakur had already remained out of cricket administration for close to a decade, which was considered sufficient in the circumstances of the case.

The ban stemmed from events in early 2017, when Thakur was removed from the post of BCCI president amid a standoff over the implementation of reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee. The committee had been appointed by the Supreme Court to overhaul cricket governance in India following corruption and conflict-of-interest concerns. Thakur, along with then BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke, was removed for failing to fully comply with the court-mandated reforms.

During the proceedings, the court also took note of Thakur’s earlier unconditional apology and his conduct in the intervening years. It concluded that continuing the restriction indefinitely would be excessive and unwarranted.

With the order now modified, Thakur—currently a Member of Parliament and a former Union minister—is legally free to engage with BCCI affairs again. While the ruling does not automatically place him back in any position, it removes the legal barrier that had prevented his return to cricket administration.