'RCA trying to prevent Modi from contesting elections'

The ex-IPL Commissioner said RCA was misusing official machinery

Lalit Modi's counsel Mehmood Abdi has alleged that early elections of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was a blatant attempt to debar the former IPL Commissioner from contesting for the post of RCA president.

Talking to the PTI, Abdi said former union minister C P Joshi led RCA was misusing official machinery to prevent Modi from fighting elections.

Abdi said that Modi has the protection of Rajasthan High Court which stayed the operation of a BCCI order of lifetime ban on his participation in the RCA affairs as it was governed by Rajasthan Sports Act 2005 under which no disqualification could be invoked on the grounds taken by the BCCI.

"Initially the elections were slated to be held on December 7, but have been hurriedly convened to help the incumbent administrators supported by present Congress regime," said Abdi who was here for Yaum-e-Ashura (10th day of Moharram).

Two parallel elections have been announced for RCA office bearers - one by secretary Sanjay Dixit and the other by officiating secretary K K Sharma on November 23 and November 24 respectively.

"We have approached the Supreme Court for appointment of an independent election observer who can convene a fresh election schedule in place of two parallel elections. The matter is likely to be listed early next week.

"Both factions have appointed different election officers of their choice who arbitrarily fiddling with the genuine voter list to disqualify the voters seen as Lalit Modi supporters," Abdi said.