MUMBAI: The Vinod Rai led Committee of Administrators (CoA) has made public the terms of reference for the three-member independent committee constituted to look into the charges of sexual harrassment against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.
The terms of reference cover both Johri’s current employment as also his earlier stint at Discovery Communications. Johri has been the BCCI CEO from April 2016.
The Terms of Reference:
1. The Committee shall enquire into and/or probe allegations of sexual harassment that have been made against Mr Rahul Johri, CEO BCCI, whether anonymous or otherwise, whether they relate prior to his employment with the BCCI or otherwise, in accordance with law. The Committee shall submit a report containing its findings and recommendations in a sealed cover to the Hon’ble Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA). The Committee is requested to submit the said report within 15 days of its appointment.
2. The Committee shall be free to regulate and stipulate the rules of procedure for the conduct of the enquiry in accordance with law, principles of fairness, transparency and natural justice.
3. The proceedings and the deliberations of the Committee, including the name and identity of any complainant who comes forward before the Committee, if any, shall be kept strictly confidential. Mr Rahul Johri shall be obligated to keep all the information disclosed to him during the course of the proceedings strictly confidential.
4. For the purpose aforesaid, the Committee shall be free to seek all records/evidence that it considers necessary from the BCCI or any other person. The Committee may also call such persons as it considers necessary to appear before it. For this purpose, the BCCI shall render all assistance that the Committee may require, including by making logistical arrangements for such persons and/or providing for their expenses.
5. Any person who is desirous of placing any fact before the Committee shall be free to do so. For this purpose, the Committee shall issue an appropriate public notice, containing relevant contact details/email id(s) and co-ordinates for submission of information and timeline for doing so, which shall be published on the BCCI website and/or any other medium, as it may deem fit.
6. The BCCI and all its office-bearers/employees/consultants shall provide all assistance and co-operation to the Committee as it may require. The BCCI shall also create dedicated email ids on its domain for the Committee and each of its members, respectively. The said email ids shall be in the control of the Committee and each of its members, respectively. With regard to any aspect of the enquiry, the Committee and each of its members shall correspond with one another and with third parties only from the said email ids. Every person within the BCCI shall forward all relevant information/complaint/details that they may receive or have received from any quarter in connection with the enquiry to the said dedicated email id created for the Committee.
7. The first meeting of the Committee shall be held in Mumbai at the BCCI Headquarters. The Committee shall be free to decide the venue for its next meetings as per its convenience. At its first meeting each member of the Committee shall make a declaration of absence of conflict of interest in conducting an independent and fair enquiry against Mr Rahul Johri. Further, at the first meeting of the Committee, the CoA or any of its members shall disclose and provide a copy of all relevant material, information and documents in their possession including the correspondence exchanged with Mr Rahul Johri to the Committee. The CoA or any of its members shall be free to provide any further information, details and material to the Committee for the consideration of the Committee.
8. The Committee members shall be paid Rs 1,50,000 per day/meeting by the BCCI. In addition, the Committee members shall be entitled to a one-time fee for reading the material and writing the report. The said fee shall be decided by the CoA separately. Travel, accommodation, logistics, administrative and other such arrangements for the Committee shall be made by the BCCI at its expense. If any member of the Committee incurs any expense for the aforesaid purpose, the BCCI shall reimburse such expense to the member in a timely manner. Ms Karina Kripalani is designated as a contact person for the Committee to seek any assistance on any aspect from the BCCI and/or the CoA. Ms Nirmal Kaur is designated as a contact person for the Committee to seek any administrative or logistical assistance on any aspect from the BCCI and/or the CoA. Ms Karina Kripalani and Ms Nirmal Kaur shall both maintain utmost confidentiality with respect to all matters connected with the enquiry and shall report directly to the CoA for any permissions/approvals in this regard.
