KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has sought the view of the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) on a petition filed by T C Mathew, vice-president of the Board Of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), challenging the appointment of an Ombudsman-cum-Ethics Officer for KCA.
He also sought to declare illegal the KCA decision to suspend him from the primary membership of the state association and that he is entitled to continue as the secretary of the Idukki District Cricket Association.
According to the petition, the ombudsman is an adjudicatory authority supposed to have been appointed as per the guidelines issued by the Lodha Committee to resolve the internal disputes of the cricket associations in the state. The authority to appoint an ombudsman is vested with the general body of the association. However, the appointment of the KCA ombudsman was in total violation of the recommendations of the Lodha Committee. No panel of suitable persons was considered by the KCA general body and there was no general body to appoint an ombudsman. Other than the appointment of the ombudsman, none of the recommendations of the Lodha Committee was implemented by KCA. The committee never recommended that a retired High Court judge should be appointed ombudsman, the plea stated.
Mathew submitted he was suspended without even issuing a notice. The KCA officials connived with each other and took a unilateral decision to suspend him from the primary membership of the parent association and the district association. Mathew also challenged the order issued by the ombudsman against him.
The ombudsman had issued an order stating Mathew had undeservingly drawn `5.25 lakh from KCA towards the monthly rent of the flat occupied by him at Marine Drive, Kochi. The Ombudsman had held Mathew was liable to return the amount to KCA which shall be entitled to recover it with interest either by resorting to the indemnity clause in the bye-laws of KCA or by any other mode, including execution through appropriate civil court.