New Delhi:
The Delhi high court rapped the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) on its decision to remove three selectors from their respective panels, who were chosen at the instructions of court-appointed observer Justice Mukul Mudgal, saying it amounted to contempt and the cricket body again "crossed its limit".
A bench of justice S Ravindra Bhat and justice Deepa Sharma said the DDCA has again "crossed its limit" when the high court was already seized of the matter and has reserved its order on it.
"We think you (DDCA) are testing everyone's patience here. This is contempt of court. Evidently, somebody is over-reaching," the bench said, asking DDCA whether it had informed of the decision to justice Mudgal, who was appointed last year to oversee its affairs due to various contentious issues in the cricket body.
Recently, the sports working committee of DDCA removed former Indian cricketers Maninder Singh, Atul Wassan and Nikhil Chopra from their respective panels as selectors.
Justice Mudgal, through his counsel Nitin Mishra, moved the court seeking direction to declare the DDCA's decision as "null and void".
However, senior advocate Aman Lekhi, appearing for DDCA, said the conflict of interest notice was issued to the selectors, after which the court said it will hear the matter later.
Both junior and senior selection panels, picking teams at the moment, were formed under the supervision of high court-appointed observer justice Mudgal, a former chief justice of Punjab and Haryana high court.
Moving an application before the court, justice Mudgal said, "Selectors, who were appointed under my supervision through the process of interview by a selection panel, are in process of picking up senior and junior teams at the moment.
"The act of removing the selectors unanimously by certain directors and the convener, sports working committee (DDCA), without any approval from the selection panel formed by me or by the Delhi HC is only aimed to scuttle the domestic season."
Justice Mudgal further said, the selectors were appointed by the selection panel keeping in mind the recommendations of the Lodha Committee on conflict of interest norms. "The selectors have already selected various teams which are currently playing domestic matches.
The removal of senior selectors is only aimed to change the constitution of the playing teams for collateral reasons," Justice Mudgal said.
