BCCI suspends RCA after Modi elected president

Minutes after Lalit Modi was declared the president of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, the BCCI suspended RCA for allowing a banned individual to be a part of its affairs. At the same time, the BCCI has said cricketers from Rajasthan won't suffer since an ad-hoc committee will run cricket in the state till the dispute with the RCA is resolved.

"Interim president Shivlal Yadav has suspended RCA as per rule 32 (vii) under the BCCI's constitution. We will very shortly come out with an ad-hoc committee to take care of cricket in Rajasthan," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told ESPNcricinfo. "Modi has already been expelled from the BCCI and he has not challenged that ban. Those are known things. So, for us, Modi is a non-existent person."

Modi called the BCCI move "illegal" and said he would challenge it. "They have no powers to form an ad hoc committee," he said. "They have illegally suspended RCA. They cannot do that."

Immediately after returning as the RCA president, Modi spelt out his plan to revamp cricket in Rajasthan. However, with the BCCI deciding to suspend RCA, the fierce tussle between the former IPL chairman and the BCCI seems to be far from concluded. Patel was in no mood to resolve any dispute. "Where is a question of resolving anything? We have suspended both Modi and the RCA. Those who want to go with them can go," he said.

"But we will see that cricket is not affected and cricketers are not affected across all age groups. The ad-hoc committee will work out how Rajasthan can play in BCCI tournaments. The boys and cricket should not suffer. That is our primary goal. The players do not need to worry. We will see how to make them comfortable."

Patel said last week's Supreme Court order, which directed the court-appointed observers to announce the results on May 6, had made it clear that the aggrieved parties can challenge the poll results at an appropriate forum. "In the same order on April 30, the honourable Supreme Court has directed that if it is found by BCCI that any person has acted against any rule/regulation/law which is to be enforced by us, it would be open to us to take action against such person. Here it is the RCA that has gone against our rules and we have taken action now."

Sharad Pawar, the former BCCI and ICC president, said the board's move to suspend the RCA was shocking. "I was shocked to hear about the decision. I think it is a very harsh decision by the BCCI," Pawar told PTI. "For the sake of one individual to suspend a whole organisation is really shocking. I hope (BCCI interim president) Shivlal Yadav will show some spirit in the organisation and respect the views of the judiciary."

Modi, who was the founding chairman of the IPL, was suspended by the BCCI on April 26, 2010, following various allegations of misconduct. After Modi left the country citing security reasons, a special enquiry panel appointed to conduct an enquiry into the 11 charges against Modi found him guilty on eight counts. As a result, a special general meeting of the BCCI expelled Modi for life on September 25, 2013. According to the BCCI regulations, Modi's expulsion cannot be revoked for at least three years from the date of issue of the ban.