New Delhi, Oct 31 (KNO): In a significant development, the Supreme Court has ordered that elections for the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) be held within 12 weeks under the supervision of former Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti.
The direction was issued by a Bench led by the Chief Justice of India, along with Justice K. Vinod Chandran, while hearing a petition concerning the administration of the JKCA. Advocate Soayib Qureshi appeared before the Court on behalf of the petitioners in the case.
The case, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) relates to a 2017 judgment of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which had ordered that the JKCA be managed by a court-appointed administrator.
Later, in March 2021, the High Court’s Division Bench modified that order, discontinuing the court-appointed administrator and directing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take over the JKCA’s affairs until a new body was elected.
Following that direction, the BCCI had formed a committee and subcommittee to manage and supervise JKCA operations. The committee also finalized a new constitution for the association, which is currently awaiting formal registration with the Registrar of Societies.
During the hearing, all parties agreed that the election process should not be delayed further due to the pending registration of the constitution.
The court-appointed Amicus Curiae, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, proposed that the election be conducted by former Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti. He accepted the assignment and requested 12 weeks to complete the process.
Accepting the proposal, the Supreme Court appointed Jyoti as the Election Officer for JKCA and directed the BCCI to provide him with the approved constitution, as filed before the Court. The Bench instructed that elections be conducted strictly in accordance with that constitution within 12 weeks, without waiting for formal registration.
The Court also addressed several connected matters concerning other state cricket associations. It approved amendments to the Bihar Cricket Association’s constitution as suggested by the Amicus Curiae and directed their immediate registration.
Additionally, the Court recorded submissions from the Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha Cricket Associations, both of which have proposed constitutional amendments. It directed that copies of their proposals be examined by the Amicus Curiae, who has been asked to file a report within six weeks.
The matter was heard in the presence of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Senior Advocates Sridhar Potaraju and Maninder Singh (Amicus Curiae), and other counsels representing the BCCI and state associations—(KNO)