OCA election gets into controversy after OSEC contemplates not sending any electoral officer
SportsCafe
Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) election has gone into an uncertain position after the State Election Commission’s apprehension to appoint an electoral officer for the same purpose. Earlier, the Committee of Administrators have asked the association to finalise the EO by July 1.
SportsCafe understands that Odisha Cricket Association had already decided September 14 as the prospective date for the election and the Board of Control for Cricket in India had instructed the association to appoint an electoral officer by July 1. However, the controversy in the association resulted in the Election Commission not relenting to send an officer for the process.
As per the instruction of the Supreme Court of India, the state association should appoint a retired electoral officer for the smooth conduct of the election and despite the OCA working president Dhiren Palai sending several requests, there has been no effective communication from the commission.
While the reign of Ashirbad Behera has already come to an end, there are several contestants secretly lobbying for the secretary and president position which has remained vacant ever since Behera and former India U-19 captain Ranjib Biswal, who also acted as the Indian team manager for the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy, resigned form their positions of secretary and president respectively.
A source close to SportsCafe, privy to the development, has informed that if the commission doesn’t appoint anyone, then BCCI will arrange one for the state association but that is the last option available for the OCA. In the state, many of the retired electoral officers have been serving the government in various facilities, thus making the process trickier for the body.
While Ajit Tripathy is working as the president of Odisha State Archery Association, another reputed officer Rabinarayan Senapati is a member of Odisha Government’s finance committee, which effectively ruled them out of the process. Thus in such a situation, Sanjeev Hota and Rabinarayan Rath have been the other two options available. Â
