Furthermore, the reduction in appointment criteria of the Ombudsman from a High Court chief justice to High Court judge is being viewed as questionable
Jagdish Achrekar
After a flurry of recent events which were well-publicised on social media, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) administration has finally shifted its focus to a matter of substance, calling a Special General Meeting (SGM) on April 8 to approve proposed changes to the MCA constitution. However, the process has raised concerns, as the MCA has deviated from the original directives of the SGM dated July 29, 2022, by introducing its own recommendations for approval.
Even changes mentioned in the initial Interlocutory Application (IA), which were rejected by Supreme Court have been incorporated into the proposed changes.
Several points of concern have been identified in the recommendations.
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Numerous concerns
The concerns surrounding the proposed changes are multifaceted. For instance, the alteration to the Ombudsman appointment criteria, allowing the Apex Council to appoint, raises questions about potential bias. Instead, the ad-hoc committee should have suggested that the appointment be made based on the recommendations of the chief justice of the Mumbai High Court.
Furthermore, the reduction in appointment criteria of the Ombudsman from a High Court chief justice to High Court judge is being viewed as questionable.
It will be interesting to see how Advocate Ashish Shelar, a key figure in MCA, responds to these concerns. I’m confident the proposed amendments essential for the MCA’s legitimate functioning will garner overwhelming support and approval from the members.
Important voices
However, it is crucial that MCA members voice their opinions and staunchly resist any alterations that may undermine democratic principles. We can’t expect the power-hunters, who have taken over management of many clubs, to stand and speak on this aspect. And with passing of the torch to a new generation by the likes of Dineshbhai Shah, Vilas Godbole, and Ravi Savant and Advocate Shetty’s reduced involvement, the spotlight is on the two veteran members, Ravi Mandrekar and Shripad Halbe. Will they rise to the occasion and voice their concerns or choose to be silent? In light of these concerns, the MCA members, referred to as Lions, are faced with a crucial decision — express their views or remain silent and allow democratic values in the MCA constitution be compromised.
Will the Lions find their voice and shape the narrative, or will they let others dictate their story? As the saying goes, “until the lion learns to write, every story will glorify the hunter.”
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