In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India has upheld the new constitution of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), drafted under the supervision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
This decision follows a March 2021 ruling by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which transferred the management of JKCA to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Court had directed that the JKCA’s constitution be revised in line with the Lodha Committee’s recommendations, as approved by the Supreme Court.
To implement this, the BCCI appointed a Sub-Committee in June 2021, consisting of Brigadier Anil Gupta, international cricketer Mithun Manhas and senior advocate Sunil Sethi. The Sub-Committee worked diligently to draft a new constitution, ensuring transparency and accountability in JKCA’s administration.
After extensive consultations with stakeholders and thorough legal reviews, the draft was approved by the BCCI. However, the registration process faced delays due to interference from certain affiliated clubs. Today, the Supreme Court dismissed the objections raised by these clubs, upholding the BCCI-approved constitution. The Court ruled that the BCCI-approved version would be final, allowing the election process to proceed.
Tushar Mehta, Solicitor General of India appeared for the BCCI and was assisted by Advocate Achyut Dubey on behalf of the JKCA. Brig Anil Gupta and Mithun Manhas represented the Sub Committee during the crucial court hearing today.
“We worked responsibly and diligently to honour the court’s mandate, bringing transparency in administration and streamlining the selection process,” Brigadier Gupta said by adding, “The registration process was stalled, but with the Supreme Court’s intervention, the process will now move forward,” he added further. (Excelsior)
