Difference of opinion in CoA? Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji engage different lawyers in Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: In a move pointing to the reported rift within the Committee of Administrators (CoA), chairman Vinod Rai and his colleague Diana Edulji were on Thursday represented in the Supreme Court by two different lawyers.
The CoA had moved the apex court for appointment of an ombudsman for the Indian cricket board to decide the quantum of punishment for suspended cricketers K L Rahul and Hardik Pandya, involved in a row over "insensitive" remarks against women.
While Rai was represented in the top court by two lawyers Chandra Uday Singh and Parag Tripathi, Edulji was represented by Amit Sibal.
Edulji's bid to engage a lawyer separately added to the speculation about her reported differences with Rai.
However, when TOI countered Edulji outside the Supreme Court premises and asked her the reason for coming to the court for the first time, she refused to say much.
The CoA member didn't admit to the fact that she was at the Supreme Court to voice her opinion separately.
"I just came to see the proceedings," Edulji said, adding, "I am not here because of any difference of opinion."
Meanwhile, Rai wasn't available for comments. A source close to him revealed that the CoA chairman was aware of Edulji going to the Supreme Court with a different lawyer, but he couldn't have done anything to stop her. It is learnt that Rai had received a mail from Edulji in the afternoon informing him that she has engaged a separate lawyer.
For the last couple of months, Rai and Edulji have differed on several issues of management and governance in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There have been reports of Edulji writing mails to voice her concerns and dissent on various issues.