Rajat Sharma takes up charge as DDCA president after ombudsman's order

Rajat Sharma assumed the charge of the office of president of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) on Monday after ombudsman Justice (Retired) Badar Durrez Ahmed put his and other officials' resignations on hold and asked them to continue in their respective roles.

"In deference to the orders of Hon'ble Ombudsman, I have assumed the charge of the office of President, DDCA with immediate effect. I would request you all to cooperate with me in running the affairs of the DDCA in an efficient, honest and transparent manner," Sharma said in a statement.

"In the light of present developments, no meeting of the Apex Council can be convened without my concurrence. I would, therefore, urge all of you to neither convene nor hold or attend any meeting of the Apex Council which has not been convened by me or has been convened without my concurrence," it added.

Sharma further added that there is no Apex Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

"I have also learnt that notice for a meeting of the Apex Council has been sent to few select members for a meeting to be held at 7.30 pm on 19.11.2019 to discuss certain agenda items which have been rendered infructuous on account of the aforesaid order passed by Hon'ble Ombudsman. There is, therefore, no point in holding the said Apex Council meeting tomorrow. I accordingly direct that the said Apex Council meeting or any such scheduled meeting stands cancelled," the statement read.

On Sunday Justice Ahmed said: "Resignations (tendered by President, CEO, CFO and GM, cricket operations) shall be kept in abeyance. All these persons shall continue to discharge their duties in the interest of the game of cricket."

"No further resolution in this regard be sought to be passed by members of the apex council without the permission of the Ombudsman and without following proper procedure. Hearing on these complaints shall take place on November 27," he added.

Soon after the resignation of DDCA President Rajat Sharma, several other members also stepped down from their respective posts on Saturday. They included Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ravikant Chopra, GM cricket operations, Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) members Yashpal Sharma and Sunil Valson.

Earlier on Saturday, Sharma, after resigning from the post, said that it would serve as a warning bell for the stakeholders of the association.

"If I wouldn't have shown the real side of DDCA then it would have dampened my self-respect. My resignation will be a warning bell for members, Supreme Court, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), cricketers for whom I have done lots of good work," Sharma had told ANI.