HC bar on Bikash Baruah, court to oversee ACA polls

*    AGM and elections on June 12

*    Retd. Justice CR Sharma to be observer   

*    ACA president Gautam Roy can't chair meet if he seeks re-election

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 10: The Gauhati High Court today directed the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) to hold its annual general meeting and election on June 12 next, while barring beleaguered former secretary Bikash Baruah from participating in it.

Barua is already serving a life ban handed down by the ACA governing body.

Giving the directions today, the High Court bench of Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice Rumi Kumari Phukan said if incumbent president Gautam Roy wants to contest the elections again, he must not preside over the annual general meeting. The court also appointed Justice (retired) CR Sharma as an observer in the ACA's annual general meeting and election and asked him to submit a report to the court after its conclusion. "The court has also asked the police commissioner of Guwahati to ensure adequate security in the meeting so that no untoward incident takes place," advocate Debojit Saikia said.

The court directives came after the ACA petitioned it, seeking its permission to hold the AGM and elections.

A former sports organizer Sahajanda Ojha had recently filed a PIL alleging several irregularities in the ACA. Admitting the PIL, the Gauhati High Court had asked the police to take custody of all documents till the case is disposed off.

In January last, the ACA governing body had imposed a life ban on Bikash Baruah, ending his long stint as secretary of the State cricket body which was marred by myriad controversies. The decision was taken by the ACA governing body in the wake of the recovery of 61 cheques from the drawer of the ACA secretary. The cheques, amounting to over Rs 12 lakh, were issued by the BCCI for State players, but were never handed over to the intended beneficiaries.