Nagpur: As the Maharashtra Assembly elections intensify, the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) has added its own electoral drama by announcing its upcoming election schedule. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) and elections for the VCA will be held on December 7 and 8. This election could mark a pivotal shift for the association, with significant changes expected in its leadership roles.
According to sources, former Justice Vinay Deshpande, currently VCA president, may be eligible to serve another term from 2025 to 2027. However, Vice President Avinash Deshmukh faces a roadblock: the Lodha Committee recommendation mandates a maximum age limit of 70 for office bearers. With Deshmukh crossing this threshold, he will be ineligible to continue in his post.
The committee’s guidelines further restrict office bearers, allowing re-election to a post only after a three-year “cooling-off” period. While former VCA President Adwait Manohar technically meets this cooling-off requirement, another clause limits any individual’s service as an office bearer in a state association to nine years in total. Having already served multiple terms as VCA’s vice president, Manohar may not seek a full three-year tenure, according to insiders. Meanwhile, sources suggest that the current secretary, Sanjay Badkas, might be replaced by another VCA member meeting eligibility requirements.
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Thursday 21 Nov. 2024
The election program, released by the VCA on Thursday, stipulates November 25 as the last date to submit nomination forms, with scrutiny scheduled the following day at 5 p.m. Candidates wishing to withdraw have until November 27, when the official list of contenders will be published. If contested, voting will take place on December 8. Former State Election Commissioner J.S. Saharia has been appointed election officer to oversee the process, ensuring adherence to Lodha Committee regulations.
This election is set to fill several key positions within the VCA, including president, vice president, secretary, joint secretary, treasurer, three executive committee members, and selector posts. In an interesting development, former Ranji and Duleep Trophy player Yogesh Ghare has confirmed his intent to contest for the senior selector’s position, expressing hope for a fair selection process. “I have played 36 Ranji and Duleep Trophy matches and around 20 List A matches, yet have not been considered for the selector’s job,” Ghare shared with Lokmat Times. His candidacy, along with the potential entry of other ex-cricketers for selector and Cricket Advisory Development Committee (CADC) roles, highlights the growing demand for experienced hands in the VCA’s cricketing future.
With the VCA’s election occurring alongside Maharashtra’s broader political landscape, these developments underscore the evolving administrative standards set by the Lodha Committee, aiming to bring transparency and efficiency to cricket governance.
