Four members of the Meghalaya Cricket Association’s (MCA’s) Apex Council held a requisitioned emergent meeting today to discuss important matters concerning the administration of the association and preparations for the forthcoming domestic cricket season.
The meeting was chaired by MCA vice-president Rajiv Bareh and also in attendance were honorary joint secretary A Mebanphira Swer, honorary treasurer Eddystone Shylla and member councillor Chuba R Marak. Not present were MCA president James PK Sangma MP and honorary secretary Rayonald Kharkamni.
Sangma had suspended Kharkamni at the end of June but today the remaining members of the Apex Council decided that that suspension was a unilateral move of Sangma’s and did not reflect the collective decision-making of the Apex Council. The suspension was thus set aside.
Kharkamni had been suspended by Sangma ostensibly due to a sexual harassment scandal in the MCA last season, involving U-23 women players and the team’s manager and coach. This was only one act in the fight between Kharkamni and Sangma for control over the MCA, specifically its finances.
The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) found that the MCA took insufficient action on the sexual harassment complaint and recommended disciplinary action against those responsible. Sangma banned manager Sanjay Mondal and coach Hemant Roy from ever working with the MCA again and suspended Kharkamni until the MCA Ombudsman could consider the case.
Reflecting the will of a majority of the Apex Council, Kharkamni had called for a special general meeting for early July but Sangma sought to forestall this by moving the Meghalaya High Court, which put a stay on the meeting. That case is still ongoing and another hearing is scheduled to be held tomorrow.
Today’s meeting deliberated on several issues, including the MSCW report, the suspension of Kharkamni, conduct of trials and selection of players, pending court cases, continuation of coaches and support staff and various committees of the association.
On the Women’s Commission report, the Apex Council decided that show-cause notices would be issued to the concerned persons/officials in relation to the allegations and recommendations contained in the report. Their explanations would be considered before the matter is placed before the MCA ombudsman, after the ombudsman is duly appointed (this is another point of conflict between Sangma and the other members of the Apex Council; while Sangma has argued that the appointment of retired justice BD Agarwal as Ombudsman was completed according to procedure, the others disagree).
With the new domestic cricket season approaching, the Apex Council also decided that trials would tentatively commence from September 11. Here again Sangma and his supporters in the MCA had already called for senior men’s team trials, which began on September 4 and concluded today. However, only players from a few district associations attended. It was argued by the anti-Sangma camp that only the Apex Council could call trials and set the schedule.
Today the four Apex Council members stressed that the trials and selection process “should be conducted through the appropriate constitutional mechanism and in a fair, transparent and merit-based manner. Players are to be given a genuine opportunity to demonstrate their ability through trial matches, with their performance records and statistics properly maintained.”
If complete trials are not possible due to adverse weather or non-availability of grounds, player selection may be based on their performance statistics over the previous three seasons, subject to fitness certification. Fresh trials would also be called based on lists submitted by the district associations.
Regarding coaches and support staff, the Apex Council decided, in the interest of continuity and to avoid disruption to the forthcoming season, to continue most of the existing coaches and support staff from the previous season, with the exception of Roy and Mondal. Roy will not be considered for any appointment for at least 1 year, while Mondal will not continue in his position in the MCA until further notice.
It also resolved that pending dues of support staff and salaries of office staff would be cleared at the earliest, subject to resolution of the ongoing issue concerning operation of the MCA’s bank accounts.
The Council also discussed various committees and sub-committees and decided that proposals concerning their constitution and functioning would be placed before the next AGM/SGM for consideration and final decision. The selection committee from the previous season was reconstituted with the same members for the forthcoming season, pending further constitutional decisions.
On pending court cases, the Council resolved that the association will continue to be represented by its authorised legal counsel and would await the outcome and directions of the hearing scheduled before the High Court tomorrow before determining further action.
