Kolkata, September 22
Two special election observers late night announced the commencement of the BCCI AGM at 1000 hrs tomorrow even as Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya raised objection to its validity. In a late night development capping a day of high drama, two of the three Calcutta High Court-appointed election observers Justice K N Singh and Justice M M Poonchi convened a meeting after arriving at the venue of the AGM.
Coming out of the AGM, the special observers said that the AGM had been convened at 10 am tomorrow.
“Once we have convened the meeting, it has to be attended,” they said.
On the absence of former Supreme Court Judge Justice S C Sen, they said, “He is very old and it was an odd hour for him to come. We have talked to him over telephone. He will be here tomorrow.”
Speaking on behalf of the ruling faction, CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya raised a few objections. He said since the AGM had been adjourned sine die, it cannot be convened by the special judges as the right to convene the meeting is with the BCCI secretary and the power to conduct the meeting with the BCCI president.
He further said that according to the High Court order all three judges needed to be present “but you are two.” When the two observers informed that they had talked to the third special observer over telephone, Mr Dalmiya said that was not the order of the court.
When the judges said the AGM would be convened tomorrow morning, Mr Dalmiya put up his official objection stating that it was the secretary’s prerogative and not of the judges to convene meeting.
Mr
Dalmiya also reminded the judges that their role comes only with regards to agenda nine
which relates to the BCCI elections. So they were only allowed to walk into the AGM when agenda nine was being discussed.
The CAB president also said that he would have to seek the opinion of his association on whether he would participate and also seek a legal opinion on this matter.
He had expressed this in a letter to the judges and stated that the issues raised by him would be brought to the notice of the court if needed.
Earlier, the AGM was adjourned sine a die by BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra in the face of strict opposition from the rival camp.
Former BCCI President, Mr I.S. Bindra, termed the decision to adjourn the meeting as a contempt of court, saying that the meeting was not on when Mr Mahendra finally adjourned it.
— UNI
