DDCA ombudsman puts Sharma’s resignation as president on hold

NEW DELHI: A day after Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rajat Sharma and the management staff resigned, the High Court-appointed ombudsman Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed stayed the resolutions passed by the directors and kept the resignations in abeyance.

“After considering the complaints I find that urgent steps are called for in the interest of the game of cricket. Prima facie no purported resolution reinstating Mr Vinod Tihara (ousted secretary) ought to have been passed when the very issue was under consideration of the ombudsman. This is apart from the fact that prima facie it appears that the proper procedure for circulating a proposed resolution was not followed. In these circumstances, in order that the interest of the game of cricket and its administration by DDCA is not jeopardized, I stay the operation of the said three purported resolutions and direct the maintenance of status quo ante as existing on 12.11.2019,” reads the order by the ombudsman on Sunday.

“The resignations mentioned above shall be kept in abeyance. All these persons who had tendered their resignations shall continue to discharge their duties in the interest of the game of cricket. No further resolution in this regard be sought to be passed by members of the apex council without the permission of the ombudsman and without following proper procedure,” it adds. The ombudsman had received three complaints. The order means Sharma will continue to head DDCA. It puts a question mark on the meeting called on Tuesday to discuss the issue.