Mahendra not barred from contesting, clarifies observer

The BCCI has rushed to the Supreme Court challenging the new guidelines issued by TS Krishnamurthy, the observer for the forthcoming board elections. Krishnamurthy himself, however, clarified that he had not barred Ranbir Singh Mahendra, BCCI president, from contesting for the post of president in the November 29 elections.

"I have not debarred Mahendra from contesting the elections. My guidelines are very clear and he is free to contest," Krishnamurthy told PTI. He made it clear that the BCCI constitution did not have any provision to debar an incumbent from contesting for the second year.

Krishnamurthy's guidelines had led to speculation that Mahendra would be at a serious disadvantage vis-a-vis his rival Sharad Pawar. Krishnamurthy, a former chief election commissioner appointed by the Supreme Court to oversee the elections after the acrimonious AGM in September this year, had ruled that should there be a contest for the president's post, the person contesting this time around should be from West Zone as specified by the BCCI's constitution (Rule 20).

This meant that Sharad Pawar, federal agriculture minister, who fought and narrowly lost the elections as a North Zone nominee last time, could contest this time without having to depend on some other unit from a different zone to propose his candidature.

Krishnamurthy has also ruled that "the chairman at the AGM during the course of the elections shall have the right to exercise his casting vote if there is a tie in the number of votes polled in respect of any of the office bearer's posts ... The Chairman shall not have any other special voting rights except the right to vote as a member if he is duly authorised to vote by the association which he represents." This is being seen as a serious setback for the Jagmohan Dalmiya-Mahendra faction. Dalmiya had last year used all his three votes to have his candidate pip Pawar in a close contest.

But Mahendra said he would appeal against this ruling which leaves him with only a casting vote in the elections. "BCCI rules clearly state that the chairman has got the right (to vote), therefore I will take legal remedy," Mahendra told reporters in Kolkata. "As far as taking away my right is concerned, I disagree with him. For the last 76 years, this has never happened," he added. "Whatever I understand from the Supreme Court order, he (the observer) will decide about the validity of the votes and eligibility within the framework of BCCI rules."

The decision to allow the Bihar Cricket Association (BCA), which was debarred from the elections last time, to vote would be another shot in the arm for the Pawar group. Krishnamurthy has observed that the BCA is not officially disqualified and the action taken by the AGM in 2004 was "flawed".

The observer has also taken a firm stand on units which have not conducted elections for the last few years and has sought proper authorisation for their representatives to vote in the elections. "It has been brought to my notice that Delhi and District Cricket Association and National Cricket Club of Kolkata have not held the annual general meetings for last few years. While these assocations are entitled to vote being members, proper authorisation issued by competent persons has to come, having regard to the constitution of the concerned associations in the light of not having had annual general meetings...," Krishnamurthy said in a circular sent to all the units of BCCI.