BCCI electoral officer distances himself from complaints on electoral roll for elections
BCCI's electoral officer N Gopalswami has issued a clarification to distance himself from the complaints raised in relation to the compliance by the member associations and objections against certain candidates. Instead, he has shifted the onus of the conduct and results of the elections on the CoA.
Several valid objections of biased treatment for certain candidates were raised after the full electoral roll for the BCCI AGM was issued on October 10. One such key objection being the inclusion of Delhi and District Cricket Association's nominee Rajat Sharma despite his association having a sitting MLA serving as the treasurer of the association, while Manipur Cricket Association's Rajkumar Imo Singh was disqualified. As per the RM Lodha committee’s reforms, both, it seems, are in direct violation of the one-person-one-post rule.Â
Perhaps the bigger issue facing the BCCI AGM on October 23, was the outcry against the electoral officer’s decision to omit the nominees of BCA, OCA, and Uttarakhand, while disqualifying the likes of Maharashtra Cricket Association, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Haryana Cricket Association were disqualified for not being compliant. Further concerns were raised over the disqualification of the three government associations — Services, Railways and Indian Universities.Â
"The scope of the Electoral Officer's remit during scrutiny of applications for nomination of Representatives of compliant Full Members was to determine (i) whether the nominee had been properly authorised in accordance with the constitution of the Member Association, as approved by the CoA, and the BCCI constitution and (ii) whether the nominee was eligible to act as a Representative in terms of the constitution of the Member Association, as approved by the CoA, and the BCCI constitution," Gopalaswami said in a statement released on Saturday, reported Cricbuzz.
"Where the Electoral Officer deemed necessary, the Representative was provided an opportunity to respond in writing or during a personal hearing, to relevant objections to his candidature. The scrutiny was completed after due consideration of the objections received, responses provided and information relating to the compliance status of Full Members, as provided by the CoA to the Electoral Officer,” he added.