The bitter fight during the BCCI elections in Chennai on March 2 may move to the Supreme Court. Six state associations which are unhappy with the way the elections were conducted namely Mumbai, Rajasthan, Goa, Baroda, MP and Pondicherry. These associations are likely to file individual affidavits with the Justice Lodha Committee of the SC to challenge the election’s authenticity.
According to these Associations the elections have helped N Srinivasan camp get more posts.
BCCI allowed Baroda Cricket Association president Samarjit Sinh Gaekwad to represent the BCA in the elections who was not the nominated representative of BCA. The BCA managing committee had deputed Rakesh Parikh to represent them at the AGM, but Gaekwad's claim was accepted by BCCI's ex-interim president Shivlal Yadav.
Infact Gaekwad's vote was the one which was the all important difference as the Sharad Pawar faction’s candidates Ravi Savant and Chetan Desai lost the vice-president (West Zone) and jt secretary post by just one vote.
"A person who has been authorized by the managing committee of the local association, has a legal right to represent that particular cricket body in the BCCI AGM. On what basis was his claim to vote rejected? We are also intrigued whether Yadav, who was an interim president, was eligible to for the 'casting vote' (extra vote) which made a crucial difference in the end," said an official.
The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) and Pondicherry were not allowed to vote in the elections. Infact RCA was suspended last year by the BCCI but RCA’s claim was that the voting rights cannot be taken away.
On January 22nd the SC had appointed the three-member Justice Lodha committee, of retired apex court judges, and headed by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha.
It said the committee will give the public confidence in the objectivity and transparency in BCCI structure. Giving it wide powers, the judgment said that the committee would further recommend measures to streamline BCCI elections, eligibility of candidates and criteria for disqualification.
Mumbai Cricket Association is also planning to serve a notice to the Cricket Club of India, asking it to explain why it didn't support a West Zone candidate for the vice-president's post from the zone.
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