The petitioners - PC Solanki and RP Prajapati - who are members of the BCA, have sought directions to the BCCI, BCA and the Election Officer to comply with the directions of the Supreme Court in order to “restrain” More, Indulkar, Jikar and Petiwale from contesting for the various posts of the BCA.
The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) — an affiliate of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) — will have to wait for the results of the elections concluded on February 15 as the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday reserved the verdict in the petitioners challenging the candidature of four candidates of the two rival groups until March 5.
The HC, however, granted that the present body of the BCA will continue to be a “caretaker” and not indulge in policy or other important decision making until the final verdict in the case.
The single judge bench of Justice Niral Mehta on Wednesday heard the arguments of both sides for a second consecutive day and reserved the verdict in the matter– based on a petition filed by two members of the BCA challenging the candidature of two members each of the Revival Group and the Royal-Satyamev Jayate group, citing violation of the Supreme Court directions in the case of elections of sports bodies, based on the recommendations of a committee led by Justice RM Lodha. The petition also made BCA election officer, former Gujarat State Election Commissioner Varesh Sinha a respondent, alleging that the official had “published the final list of candidates without passing any order on objections raised against” the candidature of the four candidates regarding tenure-based disqualification.
On February 13, the HC had granted ad-interim relief to petitioners challenging the candidature of four members of the two rival groups, directing the BCA to withhold the counting and results of the elections until the disposal of the petition. Accordingly, the elections were held on February 15, as scheduled, but the ballot boxes were sealed and safely stored until the verdict of the court.
On Wednesday, noting the submissions of the cricket association that the “tenure of the existing body… could come to an end on February 19”, the court directed an interim administrative arrangement until the judgement is pronounced.
In an Interlocutory Application (IA) order, the High Court said, “The tenure of the existing body shall be treated as having come to an end on its scheduled date and shall not be deemed to have been extended by virtue of this order. However, in order to ensure that there is no administrative vacuum, the present office bearers shall continue only as a caretaker body till a newly elected body assumes the charge.”
The order further restricts the existing body to make decisions pertaining to policy, finances, appointments and other important aspects of running the cricket association. The order states, “…the caretaker body shall restrict itself strictly to routine and day-to-day administration and shall not (i) take any major policy decision; (ii) incur non-routine or substantial financial expenditure; (iii) make any appointments, selection or contractual engagement of long term in nature; (iv) alter membership structure; (v) electoral college and/or the Constitution of the Association; and (vi) take any decision which may have the effect of influencing or impacting the election process.”
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The court also “clarified” that the caretaker arrangement of the present body is “purely temporary and shall not create any right, equity or claim for continuation beyond the interim period” and that the decisions taken by the caretaker body “shall remain subject to final outcome of the main proceedings”.
The Revival Group, led by industrialist Pranav Amin- which is in power in the BCA – is facing staunch opposition from a united front of Satyamev Jayate Group led by Dr Darshan Banker and Royal Group led by Samarjitsinh Gaekwad. The respondents to the petition are BCCI, BCA, Varesh Sinha, Revival Group candidates Kiran More and Amul Jikar as well as Satyamev Jayate-Royal Group candidates Anant Indulkar and Amar Petiwale.
The petitioners – PC Solanki and RP Prajapati – who are members of the BCA, have sought directions to the BCCI, BCA and the Election Officer to comply with the directions of the Supreme Court in order to “restrain” More, Indulkar, Jikar and Petiwale from contesting for the various posts of the BCA.
Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues.
Expertise:
Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including:
Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground.
Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure.
Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case).
Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions.
Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More
