Lalit Modi's return soured with BCCI suspending RCA (Roundup)

Mumbai/Jaipur, May 6 (IANS): Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Lalit Modi’s return as the president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was soured on Tuesday by the Indian cricket board suspending the state body on charges of misconduct. The suspension came along expected lines within hours of the Supreme Court-appointed observers announcing the results of the December 19 RCA election in Jaipur.

Supreme Court-appointed observers Justice (retd) N.M. Kasliwal and Justice (retd) S.P. Pathak declared Modi, who is living in self-exile in London, as the winner in a landslide.

Out of the 33 votes polled in the office-bearers election, Modi got 24. He is under a life ban ordered by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in September 2013 on charges of “indiscipline and misconduct”.

In ordering the suspension of the RCA, the BCCI cited a Supreme Court order and said that interim president Shivlal Yadav took the decision under the authority vested in him by the Board’s constitution.

“As per Order dated 30/4/2014, the Hon’ble Supreme Court had directed that if it is found by BCCI that any person has acted against its rules, regulations or law, which is to be enforced by it, it would be open to it to take action against such a person. In pursuance of the order, under authority vested in him as per Regulation 32 (vii) of the Rules and Regulations of BCCI, Mr. Shivlal Yadav, Interim President, BCCI, has suspended the Rajasthan Cricket Association from the membership of the BCCI, pending disciplinary proceedings against it on charges of misconduct,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel in a statement.

The BCCI had challenged the Rajasthan Sports Act, 2005, that had allowed Modi, a former BCCI vice-president, to contest the RCA elections again. The act helped Modi to enter the fray despite being banned for life.

The BCCI has contended that Modi who is under a life ban and not eligible to become even an ordinary member of the Board cannot think of contesting the election of its affiliate body. The BCCI pleaded that the election be, therefore, quashed.

Last week the Supreme Court had asked its observers to release the results of the elections. The votes, cast by 33 district units, were submitted to the apex court in a sealed envelope by the observers.

The SC also said that anyone, including the BCCI, if aggrieved at the outcome of Modi’s win, could challenge this before the authority concerned.

Patel said that keeping in mind the interest of the players, the BCCI will appoint an ad-hoc body to run the affairs of the game in Rajasthan.

“Keeping in mind the interests of the sport of cricket and in order to safeguard the best interests and welfare of the cricketers playing the game in different age-groups and their future, an ad-hoc committee will be constituted shortly by the BCCI,” said Patel.