In its eighth status report before the Supreme Court, the CoA has contended that the MCA “falsely claimed” to have complied with the Lodha reforms. (Source: File)
The Committee of Administrators (CoA) has accused the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) of falsehood, with regard to the amendment of the state association’s constitution in accordance with the Lodha reforms. In its April 7 Special General Meeting (SGM), the MCA decided to hold elections on May 2 to implement the new constitution.
In its eighth status report before the Supreme Court, the CoA has contended that the MCA “falsely claimed” to have complied with the Lodha reforms to derive “financial benefits” from the BCCI. It has requested the court to appoint administrators in the MCA to take charge of the state association, while urging the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the MCA officials
The MCA, too, has filed a counter application before the court, refuting the charge. The matter might come up for hearing on Tuesday. The CoA has mentioned how upon scrutinizing the amended MCA constitution, with the assistance from the BCCI legal team, it has been found that the new constitution “substantially deviates” from the Lodha Committee recommendations. According to the status report, it has been corroborated by the erstwhile MCA president (Abhay Apte) also, who presided over the state association’s April 7 SGM.
The report also incorporated that based on the affidavit from then MCA president on December 29 last year, which was “in accordance with the orders dated October 7, 2016 and October 21, 2016 passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the draft resolution provided by the Committee of Administrators”, the MCA was given a BCCI grant of Rs 6,69,04,907 and then the cricket board CEO was directed to issue a no objection with regard to de-freezing the state association’s fixed deposits. The affidavits had agreed to “undertake, implement and support” the Lodha reforms.
MCA secretary Riyaz Bagwan denied the allegations saying, the state association fully complied with the recommendations, while amending its constitution. “It’s absolutely wrong. Whatever guidelines the CoA had given to us, accordingly we amended our constitution,” Bagwan told The Indian Express.
About the erstwhile president’s observation that there are “certain differences”, he said: “All the members who attended the SGM will say whether I’m wrong or whether Mr Apte is wrong. The SGM was attended by 93 people, how can we do that?” The MCA managing committee was dissolved following the SGM, ahead of the fresh election. Bagwan, as the secretary, is now handling the day-to-day affairs. According to him, it’s “very unlikely” that the elections would happen on May 2.
The CoA, however, has concluded that it’s a “willful violation” of the Supreme Court judgment and the Lodha Committee recommendations and said the proposed election would be treated as “null and void”.