HC asks BCCI to manage cricketing affairs in J&K, Ladakh till JKCA elections are held
Srinagar: The J&K High Court on Tuesday directed the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCI) to run the management, control and administration of the Jammu Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) till a new body is elected.
Disposing off a bunch of writ petitions and appeals related to the controversies surrounding JKCA, Justices Ali Mohammad Magrey and Puneet Gupta directed “till a new body of the JKCA is elected under its supervision, the BCCI shall, as an interim measure and till a new body of the JKCA is elected under its supervision, run the management, control and administration of the Association immediately upon being handed over the same by the Court Appointed Administrators (CAA)”.
The bench discontinued the appointment of CAA and chief executive officer (CEO) for the body, chosen a few years ago to run the affairs of the erstwhile state’s highest cricketing body.
It said “we feel that there is no further need of their continuation, as such, the CAA and the CEO of the JKCA appointed shall stand discontinued.”
The two administrators of CAA included C K Prasad (retired Supreme Court Judge) and Syed Rafat Alam (the then Chief Justice of Madhya Pradesh) and the CEO was Ashiq Hussain Bukhari (retired IPS).
The trio was appointed to run the affairs of the JKCA till its rules were amended in accordance with the Lodha Committee recommendations and elections held.
The High Court also asked the BCCI to finalize the amendments in the constitution of the JKCA, in conformity with the recommendations made by the Lodha Committee as approved by the Supreme Court of India.
However, the court asked the BCCI to consult all stakeholders, including the various cricketing sub-entities litigating before the J&K High Court.
The sub-entities include representatives of the erstwhile clubs of the JKCA as also of the District Cricket Associations formed by the CAA.
“The BCCI shall ensure promoting of cricketing activities in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in Ladakh in tune with its approved constitution and at par with other affiliated Associations from various States and Union Territories of the country,” directed the court.
It also asked the BCCI to ensure that the required infrastructure on ground is improved and made available to the cricketers of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh without waiting for any audit report.
“The BCCI shall be authorized to appoint Committee/ sub-Committee to run, administer, control and supervise the affairs of the JKCA till the elections are held and a body of the JKCA is elected under its supervision, where after the administration, control and supervision of the JKCA shall be handed over to the newly elected office bearers of the Association,” directed the court.
It asked the Deputy Commissioners of Jammu and Srinagar to “cooperate with the BCCI for ensuring implementation of the aforesaid directions passed in this judgment for any requisitioned assistance”.
These officers have been directed to ensure preparation of inventory of movable and immovable property of the JKCA and furnish it along with the list of assets and liabilities of JKCA to the BCCI during this week.
The division bench avoided to adjudge petitions challenging the decisions of the court appointed ombudsman of the JKCA.
“Since, we did not hear the parties on this issue, we feel that the said petitions are required to be segregated and listed separately before the roster bench,” the court directed.
Rashid Paul is Associate Editor at Kashmir Images.
He can be reached at [email protected]
