Appoint observer for India-Aus Ranchi T20I: Aditya Verma to CoA

Aditya Verma, secretary of the 'unclaimed' Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB), has written to the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), asking to elect administrator/observer for a T20I match against Australia scheduled to be held in Ranchi on 7 October.

"It is humbly stated that a T20 match between India and Australia; which is scheduled to be held on 07.10.2017 at JSCA cricket stadium, Ranchi. The BCCI has entrusted the responsibility to conduct the match to a faction of the Association, led by present Acting Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary. The association constitutes Kuldeep Singh and Debashish Chakraborty as President and Secretary respectively," Verma said in a letter.

Reiterating that Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary has not fully adopted Lodha recommendations, Verma pointed out that no election has been conducted since the former's resignation from the post of President, Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA).

"It is pertinent to mention herein that the faction led by the Amitabh Chaudhary has not adopted the resolution of implementation of Justice Lodha Committee recommendation. Furthermore, it is a fact that no election has been conducted till date, after the purported resignation of Amitabh Chaudhary," Verma said.

Verma also accused organisers JSCA of malpractices like allowing Chowdhary to continue as signatory.

Accusing JSCA of malpractices like allowing former state organisation president Amitabh Chowdhary to continue as signatory, Aditya Verma has approached the CoA seeking an observer for the match.

"It is humbly stated that interestingly, the RTI response dated 18.7.2017 of the SBI, Bistupur Branch, Jamshedpur reveals that Amitabh Chaudhary and old office bearers are still continuing as the signatory of the Association. It is not clear as to who exactly is managing the affairs of the association. Furthermore, it is made clear that in utter disregard of the apex court order dated 07.10.2016 which categorically directs the 13 states associations (which includes Jharkhand State Cricket Association - Rs. 196 crore disbursed by the BCCI) shall not appropriate the same amount except After they have passed a resolution and filed an affidavit before Justice Lodha committee," Verma said.

It should be noted that Chaudhary has completed more than three years as the office bearer of JSCA and according to the Lodha Committee recommendations, he is not supposed to hold any post in his state association.

The CAB secretary also insisted that acting JSCA president Kuldeep Singh is also ineligible to hold office, since he needs a cooling-off break of three years after having served as vice-president from 2013-16.

"The purported committee constituted is itself against the purpose and purport of the Supreme Court verdict. It is a classic case where the purported committee has not only blatantly ignored the recommendation of Justice Lodha committee but deliberately disregarded and violated the Supreme Court's order. Kuldeep Singh, the purported President, comes under the purview of cooling-off period, as he served as Vice President of the association for the period of 2013-16, Therefore, it would be amply clear that the appointment of the committee is mere eye wash, farce, against the bye-laws of the association and violates the mandate of the Supreme Court. It is not out of place to mention that the appointment has been made without any election," Verma explained.

Earlier, in a letter to CoA chief Vinod Rai, Verma had said that Chaudhary had given a false undertaking to the Supreme Court before mentioning he had disregarded the court's direction by inviting disqualified cricket administrators to attend the BCCI's meetings.

-ANI