JKCA Unveils Landmark SGM Resolutions to Restore Democratic Governance and Accelerate Cricket Development in J&K
Srinagar, June 29: The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) on Monday placed in the public domain the resolutions adopted during its Special General Meeting (SGM) held on June 27, outlining a series of landmark decisions aimed at restoring democratic governance, strengthening institutional accountability, ensuring constitutional compliance and accelerating the development of cricket across the Union Territory.
The meeting, chaired by JKCA President Javid Ahmad Kitab, witnessed extensive deliberations on cricket administration, institutional reforms, constitutional governance and developmental initiatives. Representatives of affiliated clubs, councillors and life members from both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions participated in the proceedings.
Representatives of Jammu Cricket Club, Patel Cricket Club, K.C.C.C. Club, National Cricket Club, Shastri Cricket Club, Rehari Cricket Club, International Cricket Club, U.C.C. Udhampur, Y.C.C. Bhadarwah and Friends Cricket Club, Jammu attended the meeting from the Jammu division, while Modern Cricket Club, Jammu remained absent. From the Kashmir division, representatives of Baramulla Cricket Club, Kashmir Gymkhana, Sangham Cricket Club, Kashmir Cricket Club, Muslim Cricket Club Sopore, Friends Cricket Club, Amar Singh Cricket Club, Whites Cricket Club and life member Parveez Rasool participated in the meeting.
Addressing the General Body, Javid Ahmad Kitab thanked the members for reposing confidence in his leadership and assured them that JKCA would function with complete transparency, accountability and constitutional propriety. He said every decision of the Association would be guided by the JKCA Constitution, judicial directions and the larger interest of cricket. He also reiterated that no individual who is not a duly recognised member of the Association would be allowed to hold any official position or receive contractual benefits from JKCA.
The House paid glowing tributes to former cricketers Abdul Qayoom Khan, G.M. Ronga, Vikram Singh, Gyaneswar Sharma, Ravikant Gupta, Shiban Lal, Ravinder Gupta and Fayaz Ahmad Rather in recognition of their invaluable contribution to the growth of cricket in Jammu & Kashmir.
After confirming the minutes of the previous Special General Meeting, the General Body adopted a series of significant resolutions.
Among the key decisions, the General Body approved the nomination of the President as one of the authorised signatories for all JKCA bank accounts, with the Treasurer or the representative of the Accountant General serving as the second authorised signatory.
The House also resolved to invite applications for the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) exclusively from eligible domiciles of Jammu & Kashmir in accordance with the JKCA Constitution and its bylaws. The President was authorised to scrutinise the applications and place the shortlisted panel before the General Body for approval.
The General Body approved payment of meeting allowances to councillors and members attending official meetings and authorised the President to determine the honorarium and conveyance allowances of office-bearers in accordance with organisational requirements.
To strengthen institutional discipline, a three-member Disciplinary Committee comprising Iqbal Ahmed Shah, Ankush Abrol and Sanjay Saraf was constituted to prepare and recommend a comprehensive Code of Conduct for players, members, office-bearers and officials of the Association. The proposed Code of Conduct and consequential amendments under Rule 22(k) of the Constitution will be considered after the Constitution Review Committee submits its recommendations.
The meeting also deliberated on several unilateral administrative orders issued by the erstwhile Member Administration and Secretary's office. After detailed discussions, the General Body unanimously resolved that all such notifications, notices, show-cause notices, resolutions and communications issued during the relevant period were ultra vires the JKCA Constitution and were therefore declared null and void ab initio.
The General Body further resolved to place Secretary Vivek Khujaria and Vice President Desh Rattan Dubey under suspension with immediate effect for allegedly issuing unconstitutional communications and creating administrative uncertainty within the Association. Their cases will now be referred to the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer for final adjudication. Pending the final decision, Joint Secretary Wajahat Majeed will discharge the functions of the Secretary, while the Disciplinary Committee will issue show-cause notices to the suspended officials.
On the issue of the Cricket Players' Association, the General Body reaffirmed that the Association must be constituted strictly in accordance with the JKCA Constitution. It further observed that the Indian Cricket Association (ICA) has no authority to nominate members to the JKCA Apex Council and declared the existing ICA nominations to the Apex Council to be without legal sanction. The President was authorised to examine representations received from registered cricketers and place recommendations before the General Body.
The House also resolved that the life membership granted to Ajay Sharma stood terminated after taking into consideration the relevant constitutional provisions and the fact that he had previously represented another State Cricket Association.
The General Body authorised the President to appoint a Private Secretary and determine the monthly honorarium for the position.
In another significant decision, Justice Deepak Verma (Retired), former Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court and former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, was appointed Ombudsman and Ethics Officer of JKCA for a period of one year. The President was authorised to issue the formal appointment order.
The General Body also resolved that BCCI-qualified coaches sponsored by JKCA would be utilised exclusively for coaching and player development activities. The proposal to streamline the functioning of affiliated clubs was deferred until the Constitution Review Committee submits its recommendations.
The President was further authorised to finalise the schedule of coaching camps, domestic competitions and inter-state matches for the current cricket season.
To review the JKCA Constitution in the light of recent judicial pronouncements, the General Body constituted a Constitution Review Committee comprising Hilal Ahmad Zargar, Ranjeet Bali, Advocate Adil Asimi and Advocate Sheikh Faraz Iqbal. The Committee has been asked to submit its recommendations within one month and may co-opt additional senior members, if required.
The General Body also resolved that no office order, financial transaction or withdrawal from JKCA bank accounts shall be undertaken without the approval of the President. The President was further authorised to submit recommendations within one month for strengthening governance, accountability and institutional discipline.
During "Any Other Business", members expressed concern over the earlier constitution of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) after the election process had already commenced under the directions of the Supreme Court. Although the earlier orders have since been revoked, the General Body unanimously approved the constitution of a fresh Cricket Advisory Committee comprising former J&K captain Ashwani Gupta, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat and Adil Reshi.
The newly constituted CAC has been entrusted with providing expert guidance on cricket development, talent identification, coaching standards, domestic competitions and long-term planning for cricket across Jammu & Kashmir.
Several former cricketers and cricket enthusiasts also welcomed the restoration of the democratic setup in JKCA, observing that the Association had witnessed nearly eight years of administrative uncertainty, which adversely affected cricketing infrastructure and opportunities for aspiring players in both the Jammu and Kashmir divisions.
The resolutions adopted during the Special General Meeting reflect the General Body's collective commitment to transparent governance, constitutional functioning and the holistic development of cricket. The leadership expressed confidence that these decisions would restore institutional stability, strengthen administrative accountability and create an enabling environment for nurturing cricketing talent throughout Jammu & Kashmir.
The Special General Meeting, originally scheduled to be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, Sonwar, was shifted to Hotel Imperial Lake View at the request of the members, where participants unanimously reaffirmed their commitment to working collectively for the growth, integrity, transparency and bright future of cricket in the Union Territory.
