BCCI's disciplinary hearing on RCA suspension postponed again

New Delhi: It seems there is no taker for Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) directives, at least in Rajasthan. The much maligned BCCI-Lalit Modi feud, which has consumed a sizeable portion of Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), witnessed another installment of obscure politics on Saturday when the all power-full cricket board's call for a disciplinary committee meeting was proved a non-starter.

According to ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI had asked the Lalit Modi group, the opposing Amin Pathan faction and the Rajasthan State Sports Council for a disciplinary committee meeting on Saturday. But not a single party showed up, forcing the BCCI to defer the meeting for a later date. It's learnt that the proposed meeting was called to discuss the matters pertaining to the suspension of RCA.

Shivlal Yadav, the interim president of Indian cricket board, was quoted as saying, “None of the three parties turned up, so no proceedings could be held. But we will give them another chance to present their side”.

The trouble with Rajasthan cricket started with the election of now-in-exile Lalit Modi as RCA's president in May. The elections for the state association were held in December last year, but the result could only be declared with the intervention of court. Within hours of Modi's elevation, the BCCI suspended RCA with immediate effect and appointed an ad-hoc body to run its daily affairs.

On October 11, BJP minorities cell leader and Vasundhara Raje loyalist, Amin Pathan was elected as the new president of RCA after ousting Modi through a no-confidence motion. It was reported that Pathan had received 23 votes out of 33.

Then, the Modi group challenged the move in the Rajasthan High Court. As a result, the court asked chairman of the Rajasthan State Sports Council to run the affairs of RCA on October 17.

The first disciplinary committee meeting on RCA's suspension was held on September 20. But it was adjourned following objections from Mahmood Abdi, the RCA deputy president and a Modi confidante, on the institution and composition of the committee.

With the specified six-month deadline approaching fast, the BCCI will need to find a tangible solution soon. The BCCI has a clear guideline which specified that the suspension of a member association or individual ceases to exist if the disciplinary committee fails to resolve on the matter in six months.

Modi has been banned by BCCI over charges of corruption and mismanagement, the former BCCI vice-president challenged the decision in court. Since, the first chairman of cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) has been living in London. In his absence, Abdi was taking care of the state body over the past months.