Rajasthan HC dismisses BCCI plea regarding jurisdiction

Rajasthan Cricket Association president Lalit Modi got a shot in the arm as the Rajasthan High Court dismissed the BCCI petition challenging the civil suit filed by the state cricket body on ground of jurisdiction.

The BCCI wanted the civil suit to be shifted to either Chennai or Mumbai and had argued that Rajasthan had no jurisdiction.

Suspended IPL commissioner Modi, who is facing a life ban from BCCI, was elected president of Rajasthan Cricket Association in the elections held in December 2013 despite threats from the apex body.

After a legal battle the Supreme Court had allowed Modi to contest elections in the light of the Sports Act prevailing in Rajasthan but also gave a green signal to BCCI to take action against RCA as per its own bylaws.

The BCCI had immediately suspended RCA for electing Modi as president but the matter is in court as RCA had challenged the order from the apex cricket body. In a petition BCCI had challenged the civil suit filed by RCA on ground of jurisdiction.

Justice Banwari Lal Sharma of the Rajasthan High Court dismissed the BCCI plea. The BCCI had on multiple occasions moved applications before the trial court not to proceed with the case as it had challenged the jurisdiction before the Rajasthan HC.

The dismissal of BCCI petition regarding jurisdiction has paved the way for the trial court Add. District Judge No.4 Jaipur to consider the RCA plea that it's suspension by BCCI is wholly unjustified.

Modi was reinstated after a "coup" led by Amin Pathan had failed to stand court's scrutiny.

With the exit of N Sriniwasan from the BCCI fold, Modi is expecting that the dynamics of BCCI might work in his favour and would enable him to make a re-entry in BCCI and international cricket.

Sources in RCA said they are now hoping that the suspension is removed soon.

"The cricketers have been allowed to play in domestic cricket through a court order but cricket in Rajasthan have been suffering heavily by the suspension. We believe soon the dispute between BCCI and RCA would be resolved so that the state gets it due from the BCCI," a source said.

Image: Rajasthan Cricket Association president Lalit Modi