HC refuses to stay HCA polls

Don’t disclose results, polling official ordered

The Hyderabad High Court, while refusing to stay the elections to the Hyderabad Cricket Association scheduled for January 17, said on Wednesday that the results will not be declared till further orders.

Justice Challa Kodandaram, a vacation judge of the High Court, was hearing a civil revision petition by the HCA, represented by its honorary secretary John Manoj challenging an order by the V Additional Districts & Sessions Judge, Ranga Reddy district, appointing an Advocate Commissioner to conduct the elections.

Vedula Venkata Ramana, senior counsel appearing for the HCA, submitted that the election process has already commenced as per the bylaws of the association and the last date for filing of nominations was January 10, 2017.

He said Bharath Cricket and its members obtained the order from the lower court by misrepresenting the facts for conducting elections though the adhoc committee under the supervision of advocate-commissioner.

Mr Ramana said that there was no provision under the bylaws to appoint an ad-hoc committee and the order of the lower court was contrary to the judgement of the Supreme Court in the BCCI case.

He urged the court to stay the election process.

Counsels appearing for Prakash Chand Jain, adhoc chairman of the HCA and the Bharath Cricket Club, urged the court not to stay the election process as the term of the existing committee of the HCA has already expired.

While making it clear that during vacation it was not possible for the court to hear the case in detail, the judge ordered completion of the election process as per the notification and directed the polling officials not to declare the results. The case was posted to January 18.