The nine proposed articles, to be amended, will now be sent to Supreme Court for final approval
By Paritosh Pramanik
VIDARBHA Cricket Association (VCA), one of the richest associations of the country, has proposed to amend its Constitution after 668 life members voted in favour of the changes put forth by the Constitution Amendment Committee.
The Constitution Amendment Committee comprised VCA President Justice Vinay M Deshpande (Former Judge of the Bombay High Court), Senior Counsel former chief of the association Adv Anand Jaiswal, Adv Anand Deshpande and Adv Harish Thakur.
There are as many as nine articles proposed to be amended. All were accepted by the members of the association during a Special General Meeting held last month.
The proposed amendment to the Constitution, which will be put before the Supreme Court for its final approval, will give more responsibility to a bigger executive committee.
The proposed amendment will also increase the representation of former cricketers as life members as their quota has been proposed to be increased from 20 per cent to 30 per cent.
As per the present Constitution in the players’ quota, only those who have represented the association as a playing member of its Ranji Trophy team, and have retired from First-Class cricket can be a life member.
But now, with BCCI organising several more tournaments, VCA has proposed to add white-ball games as well and those who have represented the association as a playing member of its Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy apart from Ranji Trophy tournaments organised by the BCCI, can apply and get membership.
The panel has proposed to delete the 20 per cent quota of preference for membership to deceased members’ wards.
Similarly, the 20 per cent quota for officials, umpires has also been proposed to be deleted.
Instead, it has been proposed to secure membership to 30 per cent for persons who have rendered services to the association.
“This will help the association in getting services of those game lovers who wish to give their services to the association,” VCA CEO Farokh Dastoor told ‘The Hitavada.’
The panel also proposed to delete Article No 4 of the Constitution relating to the election of honorary life members.
In another major change, the panel proposed to increase the size of the executive committee and do away with the election of selectors.
As proposed, the executive committee shall comprise 11 members and the elected body will nominate nine selectors (three each for senior men, junior men and women teams).
“There might be some players who do not wish to contest elections but are keen to give their services and do coaching after they retire. Hence, it has been proposed to do away with the election of selectors and the new elected body would nominate them,” explained Dastoor.
The panel also proposed that if a member is elected as an office-bearer or association’s nominee/representative to the BCCI prior to attaining the age of 70, he shall not be disqualified from completing his term as an office-bearer, or the association’s nominee/representative to the BCCI on account of crossing the age of 70 years if he has not completed his total eligible term of 9 years.
“For example, if an ‘X’ member attains the age of 69 years, he can be elected on the body and can complete his tenure of three years even if he crosses the 70-year age limit. But those who are 70 years of age would not be able to contest,” clarified VCA CEO.
The panel also proposed to do away with the Standing Committees. “All the sub-committees will be appointed by the executive committee so that distribution of work will be streamlined.”
The panel also proposed to appoint an Election Officer either a former member of the State Election Commission or a retired High Court Judge. In case such an officer is not available, any other former State Election Commissioner or Retired Judge of the High Court, preferably from a neighbouring State may be appointed as the Election Officer.
“It was difficult to find a member of the State Election Commission hence we proposed to add a former High Court judge, preferably from Maharashtra,” said Dastoor.
In another major amendment, the panel proposed to increase the impress advance at the disposal of the secretary from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000 to enable him to meet incidental and emergent payments.
The imprest advance amount has also been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh with the sanction of the Executive Committee for any specified period not exceeding two months and for a specific purpose.
“If there is an urgency to purchase any equipment, the Secretary will be permitted to spend up to Rs 50,000.
“Similarly, the amount can be increased to Rs 5 lakh for which he will have to submit the accounts within two months,” revealed Dastoor.
