Jaipur, Apr 23:
The elections of Rajasthan Cricket Association slated for April 26 have been stalled on the ground that the provisions of the state Sports Act do not conform with the recommendations of Lodha Committee under the aegis of which these polls were scheduled to take place.
The Election Officer A K Pandey called off the elections late last night, saying since the Registrar of Co-operative Society has refused to ratify the amendments in the Constitution of RCA, all poll-related proceedings would be stopped.
Pandey claimed that the RCA has told him to suspend the elections. He did not give any future date for the polls.
Crying foul of the decision, the Joshi faction said that they would mull over the options, including moving the court.
“With former president C P Joshi all set to file his nomination and with the majority with us, it (the calling off of the elections) has been done under a sinister plan. They knew Ruchir Modi (Lalit Modi’s son) was going to lose so they saved him by taking this unexpected course.
“It was RCA officials who about two months back in a special General Body Meeting adopted the amendments and they also knew about the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. Why did not they act in time? Moreover, the Registrar also did not act till so late. Both RCA and the Registrar are working hands in glove,” said a member of the Joshi faction.
“We are not going remain sitting idle. We’re in majority. Once the elections are declared and process is rolled on, it can’t be stopped. It has to be completed. We would move court and may also call an emergency General Body Meeting and take further action,” he said.
The RCA is currently headed by former IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi who is in exile and lives in London following charges of money laundering by the Enforcement Directorate.
His 22-year-old son Ruchir has made entry into the RCA by winning a controversial election of Alwar District Cricket Association and he is running for the post of president. To make him eligible for the post of president, some amendments in the RCA Constitution were adopted by the AGM recently.
The Registrar has, however, not ratified these amendments and has sent back to the RCA to reconsider them.
A few more provisions of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee, like the appointment of an Ombudsman and age cap of 70 years for fighting elections, were not in accord with the Sports Act prevailing in the state.
When Lalit Modi became the RCA president, the association was banned by the BCCI as the former IPL boss is currently under a life ban. Team Rajasthan played all domestic cricket for last two seasons under the aegis of BCCI. PTI
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