SC permits JCA and BCA members to participate in BCCI elections

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) The Supreme Court today permitted the members of Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) as well as Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) to participate in the Board For Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) elections due to be held on September 28.

A bench comprising Justices B N Agarwal, P P Naolekar, Lokeshwar Singh Banta also issued notices to JCA on petitions filed by BCCI and BCA challenging the Jharkhand High Court order permitting JCA to take part in BCCI elections.

The apex court also stayed proceedings pending before Madras, Patna and Jharkhand High court till further orders.

The court directed JCA to file its reply within three weeks. The petitioners were directed to file their rejoinder within four weeks thereafter.

Earlier, senior counsel Harish Salve appearing for BCCI, contended before the court that BCCI recognised only BCA headed by Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and members of JCA were the members of BCA and JCA was not recognised by BCCI Hence JCA office bearers cannot be allowed to participate in the BCCI elections.

The court however did not agree with the stand taken by the BCCI and the BCA.

According to JCA, after the state of Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar in November 2000, the state cricket association also stood separated.

The Counsel for JCA, Ranjit Kumar told the court that only Jharkhand has players while BCA has none.

It may be noted here that wicket-keeper batsman Mahinder Singh Dhoni hails from Jharkhand. Justice B N Agarwal at this remarked '' Bihar has only been left with floods and droughts while everything else including mineral wealth has gone to Jharkhand''.

UNI AKS SC SY VV1607