RCA elections on December 19

The Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) elections will be held on December 19. The decision was taken by Justice NM Kasliwal, the Supreme Court-appointed principal observer to overlook the RCA polls, in an order that was made public on Tuesday.

The RCA elections have assumed importance mainly due to the presence of Lalit Modi, the former IPL chairman, who was banned by the BCCI in September after he was found guilty "of committing acts of serious misconduct and indiscipline". Despite the BCCI sanction, which stated that Modi couldn't hold any position in the board or with any of its associates (state associations), Modi qualified for the RCA elections under the provisions of the Rajasthan Sports Act (2005), which governs the RCA.

Modi, who filed his nomination from Nagaur District Cricket Association, has been listed as one of the nominees for the president's post and will challenge incumbent CP Joshi.

Immediately after taking charge last month, Kasliwal had declared void the respective election dates announced by the two major factions within the RCA: one led by Joshi and the other by the Modi-Sanjay Dixit combine. Dixit, as RCA secretary, had revolted against Modi when the latter was president of the state association, but both men recently patched up their differences to unite against the Joshi faction.

For the last three weeks Kasliwal, a retired Supreme Court judge, had heard various disputes from various district associations over the eligibility of candidates in the final voters' list. There are 33 voters (districts) in the electoral list and only an office-bearer of a district association is eligible to contest the election. According to the Rajasthan Sports Act, only the president, secretary and treasurer are valid office-bearers.

According to the order Dixit, who has filed his nomination for the treasurer's post from Barmer Cricket Association, "is not eligible for contesting any elective office in the ensuing election of RCA" till he gets permission from his employers - as an IAS officer, Dixit is employed by the Rajasthan government.

"According to the rules I have to get permission from the state government to contest the office," Dixit said. "Under Section 2 (n) of the Sports Act the office bearers are president, secretary and treasurer in a state association."

The deadline for filing the nominations ends on December 16, which will be followed by the scrutiny the next day and acceptance of any withdrawals on December 18.