MCA official tells mid-day that the association is merely preparing for T20 Mumbai Premier League and the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators' approval will eventually be sought, but as of now…
Mumbai Indians' veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh celebrates a Gujarat Lions wicket as numerous fans go berserk during a 2016 Indian Premier League match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The stadium hosted the 2011 ICC World Cup final. Pic/Atul Kamble
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The Mumbai Cricket Association will have to seek legal opinion and permission from the BCCI's Committee of Administrators (CoA) on whether they can initiate work on the proposed Mumbai Premier League (MPL) and the sale of naming rights for the Wankhede Stadium.
This has come about after former managing committee member Ravi Mandrekar wrote a letter to MCA president Ashish Shelar, warning the association of taking major decisions when the term of the all current office bearers have expired. Other officials simply don't meet the criteria of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Committee's recommendations. "We have just started the process of organising the MPL as well as granting the naming rights for the Stadium. Ultimately, we will have to get necessary approvals and permissions. The decision to rename the Wankhede Stadium will have to be ratified by the general body.
Ravi Mandrekar
"The show must go on. If the elections (scheduled on November 10) take place, we will not have much time to prepare for the MPL. That's why the process has to begin now," said an MCA source.
When asked about the points raised by Mandrekar, the source said: "We are not making financial decisions that will amount to more than R3 lakh. If things are on track, legal procedures will be respected." Meanwhile, Mandrekar who represents Gaud Saraswat Cricket Club, in his letter to Shelar, wrote: "You have announced that MCA elections will be held on 10th November 2017. Therefore, the present managing committee is a caretaker committee till elections are held. I understand that the present managing committee is trying to finalise deals for MPL franchisees, title sponsor etc. This will be illegal as a caretaker committee has no powers to take major financial decisions. In addition, no tenders have been invited for the same.
"I understand that the (managing) committee is trying to arrive at a financial deal. For such a financial deal, the Committee has no power. The approval of the general body will be required. For any major financial decision as well as charity commissioner approval is required."
With inputs from PTI
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