COA chief Vinod Rai had earlier set September 14 as the deadline for the state units to complete their elections or lose voting rights at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) annual general meeting.
Facing resistance from at least a dozen state cricket associations, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) was on Friday forced to extend the deadline for the states to conduct their elections.
COA chief Vinod Rai had earlier set September 14 as the deadline for the state units to complete their elections or lose voting rights at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) annual general meeting. But on Friday, after a COA meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, it was decided to extend the deadline till September 28. However, there is no change in the BCCI's own elections that are scheduled to take place on October 22.
This is done to pressure those state units which have been awaiting directions from the apex court on the pending petitions challenging some of the contentious recommendations, like age and tenure, of the Justice Lodha panel. The panel is yet to comply with the diktats of COA.
DNA has learnt that states including Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka have not submitted their amended constitutions to the Board and now face a scenario where the representative from these states may not be allowed to vote on October 22.
"If BCCI elections are to take place on October 22, then the AGM notice has to be issued by September 30, i.e. 21 days in advance. This will force states to send names of their representatives who will vote in the elections by September 28.
We will now again approach the court to hear our petitions before that," a senior state official said.
The COA has, meanwhile, clarified that it will not take cognizance of any request beyond September 12 from any state regarding the extension of time for submitting "amended constitutions" or "appointment of an electoral officer" for conducting the elections.
But a former BCCI office-bearer blamed the COA for acting in a dictatorial manner, where only a few chosen states are being targeted for non-compliance. "States like Delhi (DDCA) where elections were held before the final order of the SC – with old cooling-off period after three-year term and without adhering to amended guidelines regarding government servant – is being treated as a compliant unit. Is it not a violation of SC orders?" the state official said.
The COA is due to meet next in Delhi on September 13 to take stock of the developments.
Pressure Tactic
|
| States like Bengal, Tamil Nadu, MP and Karnataka yet to submit amended constitution |
| With BCCI elections to be held as per plan on Oct 22, these state may not be allowed to vote that day |
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Ranji match")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}