CoA has no authority to check any state unit's compliance: Tamil Nadu CA

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has taken a strong exception to the Committee of Administrators' (CoA) show-cause notice with a sharp reply that the Supreme Court-appointed body "does not have any authority" to check its compliance. With the BCCI AGM scheduled on October 23, the CoA had issued notices to Tamil Nadu, Haryana, and Maharashtra, citing non-compliance in their amended constitution which could potentially debar them from participation.

In reply to CoA's notice, the TNCA took a counter-offensive stance in their letter (in possession of PTI). "In this view of the matter, the CoA has no authority to disqualify any association from participating and voting in the BCCI General Body Meeting scheduled on 23rd October 2019 on the alleged ground of such association being noncompliant as per the understanding of the CoA," TNCA wrote back.

The state unit, which is unofficially still ruled by the Tamil Nadu strongman (his daughter Rupa Gurunath is the new president), made it clear that Vinod Rai-led panel had no authority since the matter is still sub-judice in the apex court. "Since the said issue is sub-judice, all the associations shall be allowed to participate and the issue of the legality of their participation shall be decided on the basis of the final orders passed by the Supreme Court in the matter," the letter further stated.

The TNCA also reminded CoA that their job was to only "file status report". "The job of the CoA, as per the directions issued in the 9th August (2018) judgment, is only to file a status report with reference to the compliance undertaken by the state associations," it said.

As far as debarring the allegedly "non-compliant" units are concerned, TNCA feels that it is not within the CoA's ambit to take any action. "It is further pertinent to note that no authority whatsoever has been given to the CoA to take any action against any non-compliant association. The judgment itself provides for the consequences of noncompliance and there is nothing for the CoA to do in such cases."

Those who are conversant with the BCCI politics feel that TNCA's tough counter-attacking stand is due to the fact that there will be "selections but no elections" on October 23. "Even if CoA bans Tamil Nadu, how does it matter if no elections are held?" a senior BCCI official raised a question.

"If the state units reach a consensus about candidates, it would hardly matter as voting goes out of the equation. If N Srinivasan wants to flex his muscles, does he or his representative need to be present in the board room," the official, a veteran of many BCCI battles, said.

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