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BCCI meet adjourned, Pawar side cries foul

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Our Bureau Kolkata
Last Updated : Feb 06 2013 | 7:14 AM IST
BCCI President and Chairman of the 76th annual general meeting of the body, Ranvir Singh Mahendra, adjourned the meeting on Thursday amidst claims and counter claims about the majority, appeals and counter appeals in the high court.
 
However, the faction lead by Sharad Pawar refused to accept the verdict of the board president saying it was against the Calcutta High Court order.
 
Meanwhile, the Calcutta High Court today appointed two more observers to conduct the BCCI AGM and elections of the office bearers. Justice K N Singh and Justice M M Punchi, both former Chief Justices of India, were appointed as additional observers along with Justice Suhas Chandra Sen.
 
Earlier, Farooq Abdullah, an ally of Sharad Pawar, floated a compromise formula to avoid the election. As per the formula, Mahendra would be allowed to continue as BCCI president for another one year, thereafter Pawar would take over for three years.
 
However, Jagmohan Dalmiya said he had no idea about any compromise formula voiced by the former Jammu Kashmir chief minister. Another Pawar ally, Raj Singh Dungarpur, insisted that this formula was Abdullah's own.
 
Board president Mahendra claimed that he was compelled to adjourn the meeting owing to misbehaviour of some members, which he said was below the dignity of an institution like BCCI. He accused Lalit Modi of Rajasthan and Dungarpur.
 
"I have decided to adjourn the meeting because of the impasse. The two observers appointed by Calcutta High Court were yet to arrive. "The sole High Court-appointed observer present, Justice S Sen, was also feeling unwell," he said.
 
Mahendra said he would convene the AGM at the earliest after consulting the observers. "I am leaving tomorrow morning. The date of the next meeting will be fixed after consultation," he said. Former BCCI president and key Pawar ally, I S Bindra, alleged that by adjourning the meeting, Mahendra was defying the court order.
 
He made it clear that the Pawar camp was not accepting the verdict of Mahendra and the meeting would continue till the newly appointed observer arrived. "We will be there for the meeting and if required, we shall elect a new chairman for the AGM," he added.
 
Bindra claimed that the Dalmiya faction was resorting to delaying tactics as it was defeat in case of election. In the court, the Rajasthan Cricket Association and Netaji Cricket Association of Chennai, moved a petition today asking for a vacation of the September 21 order. They also prayed for appointment of two or more observers to conduct the meeting. The Kalighat Club and BCCI jointly opposed this.
 
In his order, Justice Sen said the observers would consider the eligibility of a voter or representative who would cast the vote. Justice Sen further said if the two new observers were available today, the meeting should continue as scheduled. In case of their unavailability, the meeting could continue the next day and no meeting should be held today.
 
The judge, in his order, further stated that if the meeting continued for a long time and did not conclude within the scheduled time, it would be extended by the observers at their discretion. Justice Sen also requested the observers to prepare a post-meeting report to be placed before the court. The court made it clear that the observers would take a unanimous decision, if possible.
 
In case of any difference of opinion, the majority decision of the observers should prevail and in that case a report should be filed by the observers explaining the reason for their opinion.
 
Justice Sen also made it clear that any decision taken in the election with regard to question of eligibility of the voter and decision with regard to the nomination of the president or the representative who was going to cast the vote should abide by the result of the application filed by Kalighat Club.
 
The court further made it clear that with regard to the other issue regarding the nomination of the president from different zone, if it was raised on the ground of resident, should also be decided by the observers. Such decisions should taken prior to starting of the election process, the judge held.

 
 

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First Published: Sep 23 2005 | 12:00 AM IST

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