NEW DELHI: A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking stay on the upcoming election of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) office bearers for allegedly not being in compliance of the recommendation of Justice R M Lodha Committee and BCCI by-laws.
The plea filed by cricketer and former secretary of HPCA Gautam Thakur also sought direction for management of cricketing affairs in Himachal Pradesh by Committee of Administrators till the disposal of the petition, newswire PTI report said.
Thakur alleged that his fundamental rights are being infringed upon by the HPCA by their “illegal, arbitrary and monopolistic actions” in administration of cricket affairs in Himachal Pradesh by not following the recommendations of justice Lodha Committee as approved by this court.
“It is therefore respectfully prayed that this court may please to issue appropriate direction to stay the HPCA election and direct for management of cricketing affairs in HP by COA during the pendency of present writ petition any other order or direction which this court may deem for and proper in view of facts and circumstances of the case may also be passed in favour of applicant in interest of justice,” said the plea, filed through advocate D K Thakur.
As per the HPCA website, the elections will be held on September 27 for the post of President, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer.
It said that as per the by-laws and Memorandum of Association of HPCA there was a provision for life members on payment of onetime fee.
“Under the guise of this power many politician, businessmen, relatives, kith and kin and non-residents of HP are inducted as life members in HPCA by giving them right to vote and contest elections,” it said.
The petition said that these class of persons do not have even a distant connection with game of cricket and they have been made part of HPCA, “just to fulfil the objectives of erstwhile president and to help him indirectly controlling the affairs of cricket in Himachal Pradesh”.
“This class of persons have a majority in HPCA Electoral College. The composition of HPCA is Life members22 (out of which 17 are nonresidents of HP), 6 directors (2005-2019), Former/current government Officials-5, 3-4 first class players who have played one Ranji Trophy match each besides 24 votes of district cricket association, executive members of HPCA, kith and kin of former office bearer,” it said.
The petition, further alleged that the HPCA was not allowing the duly elected representatives of two districts cricket associations (DCA)–Chamba and Lahul Spiti–to cast their vote in the present elections.
It said that “in their place office bearer of interim committee, who are handpicks of office bearer of dissolved HPCA, which is totally unfair and arbitrary and amounts to cast a proxy vote, which is strictly prohibited under 2019 by-laws of HPCA”.
