It appears to be the longest ever counselling by a High Court judge in Tripura –five hours in total-which after prolonged discussion succeeded in settling the internecine infights of the Tripura Cricket Association, for good.
Following the counselling of Justice Arindam Lodh- which he began at 1 pm and ended at 5 pm- both the squabbling groups led by TCA president Tapan Lodh and secretary Tapash Ghosh decided to amicably resolve the issues that raged the association for the last one month or more and even spilled over on the road with ugly developments.
One of the most important decisions that the meeting took in was dissolution of the incumbent Apex Council of the TCA except five Office Bearers – President, Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary and Treasurer–to maintain the supremacy of the General Body. This was as per the Rule 5 of Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations of the TCA. Accordingly, from now, there will be no Apex Council of the TCA, and its functioning shall be performed by the General Body.
Besides, retired IGP B.K. Ray has also been appointed as ‘Commissioner’ with immediate effect to monitor and supervise the day to day affairs of the TCA on behalf of this High Court. He will submit report to Justice Lodh Court if he feels and desires it is so necessary.
The participants in the meeting have agreed to constitute the Apex Council comprising of nine members consistent with the spirit of the directions passed by the Supreme Court in the case of BCCI vs. Cricket .Association of Bihar and others. Accordingly, the Association will amend the rules of the TCA.
The status and position of Office Bearers have been restored as it was prior to July 19 . Both the groups have agreed that General Body is the Supreme Body of TCA. Further, the General Body also can review any decision of the Apex Council.
The General Body meeting will be held on August 9 next at M.B.B. Stadium Club House. The representatives of the full, members will bring authorization letters and the president, Secretary and Joint Secretary will scrutinize the authorization letters. The authorization letters must be submitted to the president on or before August 8 during office hours of the TCA.
Agenda of the General Body meeting shall be decided by the President and Secretary .
It has been resolved that the bank of the TCA shall be operated by president and treasurer . In case of emergent situation or in the event of any vacancy, the president will delegate/authorize the power of such operation of bank account to the next available Officer Bearers in terms of Rule 7 read with Rule 22(2) of the Rules of the TCA.
As for Ombudsman and Ethics Officer , it has been decided that the General Body will take a decision in this regard within a reasonable period of time.
The Office Bearers have submitted their respective undertakings to the High Court that they will abide by the Rules of TCA and the decision of the General Body. The TCA shall be functional in all respects smoothly henceforth from the premises of the TCA office. It is also resolved and undertaken that they will work together for the interest of Cricket of the State without creating any hindrance. The Office Bearers have said, they have no objection if any investigation is carried out as regards any affairs of the functioning of the TCA.
The meeting convened by Justice Lodh has been attended all the parties to the petition that was submitted before the High Court as well as the members of the TCA general body who included among others Tapan Lodh, president, Tapas Ghosh, Secretary, Timir Chanda, vice-president, Joy Lal Das, treasurer, Jayanta Dey, joint secretary, Subrata Dey, Basudeb Chakraborty, Ranjan Datta, Shyamal Bhattacharjee, Utpal Acharjee, Gouranga Bhowmik, Subham Roy, Rakesh Das, Tapashendu Nath, Chiranjib Dey and others.
From the legal side, Justice Lodh also has interactions with P. Shama, counsel along with Maloy Debnath, counsel appearing for the petitioners as well as S. S. Dey, Advocate General (appearing for the respondents-State), S. Lodh, counsel and Kohinoor N. Bhattacharjee, counsel.
(Also publihed in the Tripura Times)
