ICC chairperson's election: No news on associate directors

While the International Cricket Council (ICC) has initiated the process of the election of its next Chairperson, it is yet to announce a process for the election of three directors, representing associate nations, whose two-year terms ended in June-end.

The deadline for the nominations for potential candidates for Chairperson by the board of directors is October 18, according to an ICC release issued on Monday. However, there is no mention of election of three associate directors and the election process which is due to be completed by December.

Imran Khwaja of Singapore, Mahinda Vallipuram of Malaysia, and Tony Brian of Scotland are the three associate member nation directors on the ICC board and they will take part in the election process. Though their terms have ended, there has been no news on who would replace them, or they would be re-eelcted.

Interestingly, Khwaja is also the interim chairman, who stepped in after Shashank Manohar quit following two two-year terms.

As per the rules, each ICC director is allowed to nominate one candidate and the nominees having support of two or more directors are eligible to contest an election. The ICC Board comprises 17 directors, who can vote.

The board includes 12 full members, three directors representing associate nations, independent woman director Indra Nooyi, and the chairman. Khwaja is both an associate director and the interim chairman.

Khwaja technically could have two votes unless otherwise decided. But there has been no clarity on the process of election. ESPNCricinfo had reported in August that there has even been a debate on whether there should be a simple majority or two-thirds majority to elect a Chairperson.

The ICC declined to comment on the matter. Khwaja too did not reply to a query from IANS.

In June, when Manohar stepped down as ICC chairman he had promised to approve the process for election of chairperson within a week. But it took over three months to begin the process.

It is understood through officials that the Covid-19 has made circumstances difficult, delaying the process.