Supreme Court to reconstitute HCA panel, seeks names

New Delhi, Dec. 15: The Supreme Court said on Wednesday that it would reconstitute the committee to oversee the functioning of the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) and sought names of former players, judges for this purpose, saying the team will win if the panel focuses on players and does not indulge in politics.

HCA president and former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin, secretary R. Vijayanand and the factions led by them are opposed to each other over the appointment of former apex court judge Justice Deepak Verma as the ombudsman.

“If the committee focuses on players, it (team) will win and if you engage in politics then it will not. Now, the court has started interfering so you are focussing on the game,” said the bench headed by Chief Justice N. V. Ramana.

“Give names of some people who are familiar with the game. Alright you give names of players and others who have nothing to do with politics... we will appoint the committee,” the bench, also comprising justices A. S. Bopanna and Hima Kohli, said.

Senior advocate Rakesh Khanna, appearing for one of the parties, said that the staffers of the Hyderabad Cricket Association are not getting salary as the secretary has not been signing the cheques as asked by the top court in its last order on October 27.

“That is why, we asked you to give the names,” the bench said.

The top court, on October 27, had asked HCA president Azharuddin and the secretary to jointly sign cheques to ensure that the day-to-day functioning of HCA is not hampered for the time being.

It had also issued notices on appeals filed by the Hyderabad Cricket Association and its member Budding Star Cricket Club against an order of the Telangana High Court.

The top court had passed a consent order to ensure smooth functioning of the HCA and had said, Till these matters are finally heard by this Court, and with the consent of the parties, we deem it appropriate to direct both the President and the Secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association to jointly sign the cheques so that the dayto-day functioning of the Association is not hampered for the time being.

Prior to this, the top court had expressed strong displeasure over the functioning of factionridden HCA and the row on the issue of appointment of the ombudsman and had said that it will order an inquiry into the whole issue by a former apex court or High Court judge.

“Cricket has gone somewhere else and politics has taken precedence,” the bench had said.

“We will appoint some good people, some retired judges of the Supreme Court or the High Court to conduct an inquiry. Let both the groups (of HCA) go... They will have to go out of the management. This needs a CBI inquiry. They want to drag even the judiciary,” it added.

It had asked ombudsman Justice Verma not to pass any order since his tenure has already come to an end.

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