It’s easy to roar like a lion after making profit, HC tells DDCA

September 23, 2016 12:00 am | Updated November 01, 2016 08:19 pm IST - NEW DELHI:

High Court pulls up DDCA for challenging legitimacy of Justice Mudgal report after conducting matches

The Delhi High Court on Thursday told the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) that it was easy to now “come and roar like a lion” and challenge the legitimacy of Justice Mudgal committee after making huge profits through matches conducted under him.

A Bench of Justices S. Ravindra Bhat and Deepa Mehta made the remark when the DDCA said the recommendations of Justice Mudgal report cannot be implemented as its term of reference was only to oversee the India-South Africa Test match.

“It’s all very well to now roar like a lion. Let’s face it. There were demands which you were not able to meet. Just face it. How many clearances were pending. Now to attack the legitimacy of the committee, then you cannot put your hands into the amount generated (by matches conducted under the administration of Justice Mudgal) and the surplus,” said Justice Bhat.

“You have to tell the court what is the way ahead,” he added.

‘Proxy system a bane’

DDCA’s counsel senior advocate Aman Lekhi told the court that the recommendations of Justice Mudgal report could not be implemented as it was beyond the terms of November 18, 2015, court order. The court had directed the SDMC to grant provisional occupancy certificate to DDCA to host the match while appointing Justice Mukul Mudgal to oversee the affairs of the said event.

Justice Mudgal had in his report recognised proxy system as the bane of Delhi cricket and had advised that the DDCA should have a full-time CEO, who would independently look after the administration and financial aspects of the association to ensure its continuity and smooth functioning. He had made a scathing report on the conduct of DDCA office-bearers too.

Former cricketer Kirti Azad also moved an plea for intervention through advocate Manish Tewari and sought speedy implementation of Justice Mudgal’s report. He will be heard on September 27. Dinesh Kumar Sharma, joint-secretary, company affairs of DDCA also highlighted in his application filed through counsel Tanuj Khurana how all directors of the cricketing body have been holding the posts illegally as they are all either retired or close to it and haven't held general body meeting for years together.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lekhi also submitted that if the court insists on implementing the recommendations, “to show our bona fide, the DDCA has no problems in accepting the recommendations with regard to accounts and finance, administrations, ticketing and accreditation and conduct as far the same is not barred by any law.”

On recommendations by Justice Mugdal on abolishment of the proxy system and the Sports Working Committee, the DDCA said the same can be done only according to the scheme provided under statute.

“Let’s face it. There were demands which you were not able to meet... You cannot put your hands into the amount generated (by matches conducted under the administration of Justice Mudgal) and the surplus

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