MCA member to defy CoA in row concerning selectors

He has failed to act as per the constitutional provision," he lamented. The MCA in its letter said that the demand for the removal of selectors cannot be considered until the CIC conveys its decision

Though the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) yesterday decided to not call for a requisition Special General Meeting (SGM) to replace the senior selection committee, Khodadad Yazdegardi, the vice-president and cricket secretary for Parsee Gymkhana, who is demanding to replace the selectors, has decided to go ahead with his decision despite the MCA notifying that the SGM will be deemed illegal and invalid.

Yazdegardi has decided to issue an eight-day notice to call for the SGM and also indicated to move Bombay High Court if needed. In a two-page letter to Yazdegardi, the MCA's Chief Executive Officer CS Naik, on the instruction of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), stated: "The High Court has given limited jurisdiction to CoA to take care of administration of MCA until the changes as directed are implemented."

An upset Yazdegardi countered MCA's view. "When this was not in the CoA's purview then why did they try to negotiate with me to take back my letter which I had submitted on July 30? "Why did they even meet the senior selection panel and members of the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC)? Even before I had submitted my letter to the CoA, they had called me to the MCA office to discuss this matter. However, I am well within my rights to call for an SGM. I will approach the High Court if there is any obstacle to hold the SGM," Yazdegardi told reporters yesterday.

The MCA stated that Yazdegardi's letter does not contain any details of the alleged irregularities by the selection committee. "I have proof that the selectors have not watched any local games. There is conflict of interest in their roles as well. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said they have watched enough matches. But the fact that they added seven players recently to the camp showed that they made a mistake in the first place," he said.

Yazdegardi also criticised MCA's Joint Secretary Dr Unmesh Khanvilkar for not upholding the constitution. "Dr Khanvilkar is a representative of the MCA members and not the CoA. He has failed to act as per the constitutional provision," he lamented. The MCA in its letter said that the demand for the removal of selectors cannot be considered until the CIC conveys its decision.

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