PANAJI
The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) on Friday convened a meeting of its managing committee to finalise the Association’s representative for the upcoming elections to the Apex Council of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The meeting was scheduled for 2 pm, shortly after a petition was heard before the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
Five GCA members had filed a petition seeking urgent relief, citing that the BCCI had already issued its election schedule for September 28, but the Association had not convened a meeting to decide its nominee. The petitioners proposed the name of life member Rohan Dessai, claiming majority support, and pointed out that despite a BCCI communication dated September 9, no action had been taken.
Senior counsel for the respondents, Adv Subodh Kantak, opposed the nomination on the grounds that under the GCA Memorandum of Association and the advisory issued by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators, only members of the electoral college were eligible to be nominated. He argued that nominating a life member could invite penalties and adverse action.
However, Kantak clarified that the respondents were open to nominating any of the five petitioners—all of whom are current GCA members—as their candidature would comply with the byelaws and the BCCI’s requirements.
The Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Ashish Chavan refrained from adjudicating on the eligibility dispute and instead directed the GCA to hold a managing committee meeting at 2 pm on Friday at its Porvorim office.
“We are not desirous of getting into the controversy as we deem it appropriate to leave it to respondent no.1 to convene an emergent meeting for taking such a decision, as it is the submission of the respective counsel appearing for the petitioners that the right of interpretation of any terms/Rules is ultimately to be decided by the Managing Committee as per the Byelaws. If a meeting is convened, the members will have due deliberation upon the nomination to be made to the BCCI, which is expected to be forwarded before 8 pm,” reads the order while disposing of the plea.
The BCCI polls on September 28 are scheduled to elect five positions to its Apex Council, with nominations from member associations required to be submitted in advance. The Court also directed the GCA to send its nomination or representation to the BCCI within the stipulated timeline.
