CUTTACK: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told the Orissa High Court that the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) should hold its elections immediately and any prolonged continuation of office-bearers could run contrary to the Supreme Court’s directions and the association’s own by-laws.
The BCCI made the submission in an affidavit filed by its senior manager (legal) Melinda Colaco in compliance with the high court’s August 13 order. The affidavit was placed before Justice Savitri Ratho. Justice Ratho directed the matter to be listed on August 27 for further hearing.
Explaining its position, BCCI said its memorandum of association (MoA) provides for a three-year term for office-bearers, with a maximum of three terms or nine years in all. An office-bearer can hold a post for only two consecutive terms and must thereafter undergo a three-year cooling-off period, it said.
“These rules have been adopted by BCCI in furtherance of the judgment of the Supreme Court dated August 9, 2018 and September 14, 2022,” the affidavit stated.
The BCCI said the Supreme Court’s directions were binding on the OCA as well and compliance was necessary for the state association to retain its membership and recognition from the national cricket body. The board stressed that timely elections were essential to prevent any person from continuing as an office-bearer or elected member beyond the permissible consecutive terms.
“It is imperative that timely election should be held,” BCCI said, warning that otherwise it could amount to a violation of the OCA’s own by-laws, the BCCI MoA and the Supreme Court’s directions.
The affidavit came in response to a petition filed by OCA council member Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and Cuttack-based Sunrise Club, challenging the indefinite postponement of elections. The polls were originally due in October 2025.
At a special general body meeting on February 22, 2026, the OCA Council resolved to defer the election process until the proposed Sports Bill was introduced by the state government and clarity emerged on future BCCI directives.
The last full OCA elections were held on October 28, 2022, when BJD leader Pranab Prakash Das was elected president and Sanjay Behera secretary. After Das resigned, Pankaj Lochan Mohanty was elected unopposed president on February 15, 2025.
