Lalit Modi ousted from Rajasthan Cricket Association

In what appears to be a major shift in the Rajasthan Cricket Association(RCA), a no confidence motion was passed by the members against former Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi and his office-bearers during the board’s Special General Meeting on Monday.

With 17 out of the 18 members voting against Modi, the RCA is set to embrace its new chief in Amin Pathan. But, the Modi loyalists have alleged that their members were not allowed to participate in the General Meeting.
On the other hand, the media reports suggest that the Rajasthan State Sports Council had barred the members from attending the meeting after they failed to arrive on time at the RCA Academy in Jaipur.
According to the media reports, only 18 out of the 33 district association members managed to attend the meeting. The meeting was scheduled at 11 am and the Modi loyalists failed to reach the venue on time. And since the majority was present, the board decided to go ahead with the meeting.

Mehmood Abdi, the Deputy President of RCA and president of Sri Ganganagar District Association, cried foul and revealed that it was done intentionally. The Modi group is now planning to move court to challenge the decision.

“They had earlier resorted to such tactic and claiming a coup, they had forcibly occupied the RCA office by help of rank outsiders. They know that they don’t have the sufficient numbers to get the no confidence motion through so we fear that they might resort to unfair tactics,” Abdi said.

Earlier, Amin Pathan faction had claimed that RCA president Lalit Modi and three other top office bearers were removed by majority in a special EGM.

Crying foul, the Modi faction had moved court which in turn had quashed the claims of Pathan group but had granted them the permission to place a no confidence motion through proper procedure.

The court had entrusted the president of the State Council to preside over the meeting on Monday.

As per the Sports Act of the state and Constitution of RCA, the Pathan Group needs two-third majority to see the no confidence passed. Out of a total 33 district associations, the Modi faction has support of about 15 units, much more than the required nine to defeat the motion.

“The changing equations in BCCI too have given us strength and we are hopeful of solving all the issues with the apex body including that of life ban on Lalit Modi and suspension of RCA by BCCI but we need a month’s time for that,” Abdi had said earlier.