Legal notice sent to restrain BCCI AGM; probe against President Ganguly & Secy Shah sought

With the BCCI all set to huddle up tomorrow for the 89th Annual General Meeting (AGM), a legal notice has been sent by a member of the Jharkhand Cricket Association to restrict the body from convening the meet. Pointing out 'numerous discrepancies, illegalities and irregularities' present within the BCCI, the notice has sought an enquiry against the apex cricket body, including the interim President Sourav Ganguly and interim Secretary Jay Shah, and also the suspension of the scheduled AGM meeting on December 24. The notice sent by Treasurer of the Jharkhand Cricket Association, Naresh Makani, has also proposed for conducting fresh elections to the BCCI in the month of December 2020 itself. 

In the notice sent to the Registrar of Societies, dated December 21, 2020, Makani has highlighted that the tenure of Ganguly and Shah had ended in the month of May and June 2020, respectively. Pointing specifically at the provisions as per the new constitution of the BCCI, he implied that the aforementioned duo is not eligible to contest any further elections without completing the mandatory 'cooling-off' period. 

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'Illegal Manner'

"It is stated herein that the entire process of elections is a facade and is being conducted in an arbitrary manner with mala fide intent by office bearers whose tenure already stands expired. The position of the Vice-President of the BCCI has been vacant since March 2020 as per the knowledge of my client despite which the said elections are being conducted which categorically enunciates upon the modus operandi of the present office-bearers as also the management of the BCCI," the notice reads. 

Moreover, it accuses the present office-bearers - Ganguly and Jay Shah - of occupying their posts in an 'illegal manner' with 'mala fide intent' to serve their personal interests. Makani has also invoked the petition filed in the Supreme Court by the BCCI seeking an amendment to the recommendations of the Lodha Commission to allow Ganguly and Shah to continue holding their posts. Pertinently, Naresh Makani has also raised questions over Ganguly's continual as the BCCI President at previous occasions as well. 

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Meanwhile, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Secretary Jay Shah received a breather after the Supreme Court posted the hearing for a petition filed by the apex cricketing body to alter the tenures of its administrators to January, paving way for the duo to continue in their posts till then. An SC bench headed by Justice L Nageshwara Rao disposed of interlocutory petitions filed by state associations noting that these applications need not be adjudicated by the Supreme Court. It further posted the hearing for the petition filed by the BCCI seeking an amendment to the tenure rule to January next year. 

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BCCI's AGM in Ahmedabad 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to conduct its Annual General Meeting in Ahmedabad tomorrow. This will be the national cricket board's 89th AGM. The BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has informed the state bodies on Tuesday that Motara's Sardar Patel Stadium will be the venue of the meeting. There will be RT-PCR tests on December 22 and the results will arrive on the 23rd keeping an eye on the safety protocols. The AGM was earlier postponed due to the global pandemic. Some interesting matters such as cricket's inclusion in the 2028 Olympics, the 2021 World Cup & more are likely to be tabled in the AGM. 

BCCI's stand on the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games is one of the primary matters on the agenda at the AGM alongside the appointment of a BCCI representative to ICC. Approval on the inclusion of two new teams in the Indian Premier League is also listed in the agenda while the BCCI will also look into the 2021 T20 World Cup scheduled to be hosted by India. 

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