Suspension of RCA secretary ‘non-effective and illegal’, says Rajasthan HC

The High Court impleaded Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as respondent and will go into the larger issue of suspension of RCA by the BCCI.

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India]: The Rajasthan High Court on Friday refused the stay order of ombudsman in the suspension of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) Secretary R.S. Nandhu, stating that the order was ‘non-effective’ and illegal. The High Court impleaded Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as respondent and will go into the larger issue of suspension of RCA by the BCCI, and also BCCI’s letter asking RCA to disaffiliate the Nagaur District Cricket Association. The next hearing is scheduled for August 23. The court is likely to consider the implications of BCCI’s letter. Meanwhile, the High Court has cancelled the two parallel General Body meetings called by the petitioners.

In case the High Court concludes that the BCCI letter asking for Nagaur DCA’s disaffiliation is illegal, no further questions on disaffiliation of Nagaur DCA or on Lalit Modi’s resignation from Nagaur DCA would arise.  Earlier, holding the appointment of the ombudsman and the ethics officer of the RCA valid, the HC had directed that they shall complete their full tenure of three years. A single judge bench of Justice J K Ranka stayed the operation of letters of Joint Secretary Mahendra Nahar that required Ombudsman Gyan Sudha Mishra, a retired judge of the Supreme Court, and Ethics Officer Pana Chand Jain, a retired judge of the high court, to put down their papers and leave their respective assignments by handing over the files to C P Joshi, the newly-elected RCA chief.  This order came on an application moved by Pinkesh Jain, treasurer of RCA, through advocate Sudhir Gupta, who alleged that the joint secretary has been illegally designated by the RCA president as officiating secretary and he is misusing his position.