Goa fails to submit nominee for BCCI AGM, Rohan’s fate uncertain

Panaji: The Goa Cricket Association (GCA) has not submitted any name as its nominated representative for the upcoming Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) annual general body meeting, where five key office-bearers are to be elected.
As per directions of the Bombay high court, the GCA convened an urgent meeting at 2pm on Friday to nominate its representative for the BCCI general body on Sept 28.
At the meeting, five members recommended the name of Rohan Gauns Desai, currently the BCCI joint secretary, while two others – president Vipul Phadke and secretary Shamba Desai – did not agree.
Instead, the secretary suggested the name of Phadke, pointing to GCA rules which state that only one of its managing committee member could be recommended. The two cited GCA rule which states that the managing committee’s power is to “appoint one of its members to represent the association on the BCCI, or on any other body or institution or committee in or outside the state of Goa when the association as such is given a seat."
“The five members refused to sign the minutes (which had two names) so we could not send the resolution to the BCCI,” Shamba told TOI late on Friday.
The development could be problematic for Rohan who is largely expected to be re-elected as the joint secretary when elections are held. According to a communique to state associations from BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, the elections will be held for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary, and treasurer.
Rohan enjoys support of five members within the seven-member managing committee. Those backing the former GCA secretary and now BCCI joint secretary includes Rupesh Naik (jt secretary), Daya Pagi (treasurer), Rajesh Patnekar (member) and two Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA), Aditya Angle and Daisy D'Souza.
Rohan quit GCA managing committee after being elected as BCCI joint secretary early this year.
Earlier, five GCA managing committee members approached the high court alleging that despite a communication from BCCI on Sept 9, a meeting was not convened by GCA to nominate its representative, the deadline for which was 8pm on Friday.
The court was told that majority members unanimously agreed that Rohan will be GCA's representative and it was communicated to the president. They stated that Dessai is a life member and competent according to BCCI Rules to be nominated.
However, senior advocate Subodh Kantak, representing the GCA president, stated that a life member is not entitled to vote and a person to be nominated has to be a member of the electoral college (i.e an eligible voter within) the GCA.
The high court said it is not desirous of getting into the controversy and left it to the president to convene an emergent meeting of the managing committee to take a decision.
"It is open for the members to deliberate and take a decision upon forwarding a nomination to the BCCI before the scheduled timeline. Needless to state that the nomination/representation shall be forwarded to the BCCI before the timeline fixed by it," stated the division bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Ashish S Chavan.