Cuttack: The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) today decided to put its election on hold as per the directive of the Supreme Court.
Briefing media persons after annual general body meeting and council body meeting, OCA secretary Asirbad Behera said as per the directive of the Supreme Court, OCA decided to put the election on hold till further orders of the apex court.
“The election for the year 2016 was scheduled in October this year. Since the BCCI has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court and the matter is sub judice, the election will be held only after the apex court gives its order. Since OCA is the affiliated unit of BCCI, we are waiting for decision of the BCCI and the Supreme Court as per the recommendation of the Lodha Committee”, he pointed out.
Talking about the discussions at the meeting, Behera said the OCA’s annual general body meeting and council body meeting were held today where the agenda of audited statement of accounts for the year 2015-16 was passed. Besides, the annual budget for 2016-17, tentative budget of over Rs 3 crore for the ensuing one-day international between India and England at Barabati stadium on January 19 next year and the secretary’s report were also passed in the meeting, he added.
He also said another agenda on age fudging of players, which the CBI is presently investigating into the case, was also passed in the meeting. “It was decided that there will be two separate and permanent committees for boys and girls to verify the age of the players who are selected in the district level to play for the state. As per the guidelines of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the players will have to submit the affidavit on their age signed by their guardians which has to be certified by the executive magistrate. The OCA secretary has been authorised to declare the formation of the two committees—one for the boys under 16, 19 and 23 years of age and the other for the girls under 19 and 23 years of age. Each committee will have three members and a doctor,” Behera informed.
Talking about steps OCA has taken for the one-day international match between India and England on January 19, Behera said as per the BCCI and OCA guidelines, chairs at Barabati stadium were numbered earlier.
“The meeting today decided to number the seats in the galleries. By doing this, the number of seats in the galleries will come down to 42,000 from 45,000. With the numbering system, unauthorised persons cannot enter into the stadium. Only those having tickets will be allowed entry,” he noted.
The OCA secretary informed that the rate of the tickets has been revised. The price of the ticket for gallery no-1 and 3 will be Rs 600 as against Rs 500 while the price of the ticket for the special enclosure will be Rs 2000 instead of Rs 1500.