Cricketer files PIL against Saurashtra Cricket Association

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court on Thursday issued notice to the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over a PIL filed by a former Ranji Trophy player alleging complete control of former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah over the cricket association.
Nikhil Rathod, who also played Under-19 Cricket World Cup for India, has sought proper implementation of the Justice Lodha Committee recommendations and the Committee of Administrators as accepted by the Supreme Court.He expressed grievances against Shah and his son Jaydev, who has now become the president of the association. He has alleged that they have been running the association as if “it is a family business since its inception in 1984”.
The petitioner has sought cancellation of the result of elections held in SCA, a declaration that SCA is not entitled to participate in the BCCI election process and asked for appointment of an auditor to audit SCA accounts for last 10 years.
The petitioner has taken exception to granting membership to people who do not have much to do with the game. The membership has been never opened to the cricketers, cricket coaches, umpires, cricket fans and those who are genuinely interested in the game of cricket, he has alleged.
The total membership of the Saurashtra Cricket Association remained 350 up to year 2015. Thereafter, by a single resolution, the sons or daughters of the existing members were made members. Up to the year 2019 there were no cricketers, umpires or coaches inducted and enrolled as life members with a voting right.
Petitioner’s counsel Asim Pandya submitted that the management of the association is nothing but a mockery of the reforms suggested by Justice Lodha Committee. The association has failed to carry out the directions issued by SC’s Committee of Administrators on August 13, 2019.
The PIL said that SCA received Rs 209.43 crore grant between 2012 and 2018, but it is not being utilized for development of cricket in Saurashtra region. Most of the amount is utilized for the expenditures of the office bearers of the association and for cricket activities within the city of Rajkot only. A similar PIL was filed in 2017 by another former Ranji player, Rajesh Jadeja.
The HC will hear the issue further in February.