Gujarat High Court Disqualifies Former Cricketer from Baroda Cricket Association Elections

The Gujarat High Court has disqualified former cricketer Kiran More and others from contesting Baroda Cricket Association elections, citing a Supreme Court judgment on maximum tenure and cooling-off periods. The court directed the election officer to revise the candidate list and proceed with the election process as per legal guidelines.

The Gujarat High Court has ruled against former Indian cricketer Kiran More and three others, disqualifying them from contesting in the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) elections. Justice Niral R Mehta overturned the election officer's prior acceptance of their nominations, citing non-compliance with a Supreme Court directive concerning cumulative tenure limits and mandatory cooling-off periods.

The court's decision follows a plea referencing a Supreme Court judgment that disqualifies individuals after a nine-year cumulative tenure in cricket associations. This judgment mandates a three-year break after two consecutive terms. The ruling deemed the election officer's actions in accepting the nominations and publishing the final candidate list as unlawful.

The court instructed the election officer to proceed with election-related activities in accordance with legal norms and granted the disqualified candidates two weeks to challenge the decision. The proceedings highlight the judicial endorsement of Supreme Court guidelines within state cricket bodies like the BCA, a member of the national BCCI.

(With inputs from agencies.)