SUPREME COURT on Tuesday declined to interfere with a Bombay High Court order staying the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) elections, which were scheduled for 6 January, citing allegations of nepotism and favouritism.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M Pancholi expressed strong disapproval of the way sports bodies are run by non-experts. The court remarked that cricket associations should ideally be led by former cricketers.
The bench was hearing multiple pleas, including one filed by the MCA, challenging the High Court’s decision. During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned the sharp rise in the association’s membership. The court noted that the MCA had 164 members between 1986 and 2023, followed by a sudden and significant influx of new members thereafter.
Appearing for the petitioners, including the MCA and NCP–SP MLA Rohit Pawar, senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi argued that the membership process had been supervised by a committee headed by a retired judge. He said the committee had rejected 48 applicants while inducting others in accordance with the rules.
Singhvi also alleged that the Charity Commissioner had appointed an administrator without consulting the state cabinet. Responding to the submissions, the Chief Justice observed that if the association intended to expand its membership to 300, the additional slots should have been earmarked for distinguished, retired international players.
“Who are you bringing? Those who do not even know the game… do not even know how to handle a bat. Don’t make us express our sentiments too much on what is happening,” the Chief Justice said.
The bench underlined that sports associations exist because of athletes, not administrators. “Cricket is not because of (the authorities), it is because of the cricketers. The hockey association is known because of the hockey players. At least this much respect should be given to them,” the Chief Justice added.
The dispute originated from a petition filed by former India cricketer and BJP leader Kedar Jadhav before the Bombay High Court. Jadhav alleged that the MCA’s voter list had been manipulated through the sudden induction of nearly 401 members. His petition claimed that several new members were close relatives or business associates of Pawar.
Ultimately, the Supreme Court allowed the petitioners to withdraw their pleas and directed them to raise all their arguments before the Bombay High Court, which is set to hear the matter on Wednesday.
