CUTTACK: The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has defended its decision to defer its pending elections, informing the Orissa High Court that the move was approved by its general body and not a unilateral action by its office-bearers.
OCA secretary Sanjay Behera, in a counter affidavit filed on August 21 in response to the court’s August 13 direction, said the issue of holding elections and continuation of the existing office-bearers was considered at general body meetings held on August 31, 2025 and February 22, 2026.
“The continuation of the office-bearers was approved by the General Body and was not the result of any unilateral decision or administrative inaction on the part of any individual office bearer,” the affidavit stated.
The counter affidavit came in reply to a petition filed by Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, claiming to represent Cuttack-based Sunrise Club, challenging the postponement of the OCA polls, which were originally due in October 2025.
The OCA said its general body meeting decided by majority vote to defer the election to assess the implications of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025. It particularly cited the inclusion of cricket as an Olympic sport ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The association also referred to a December 22, 2025 notification of the Union Youth Affairs and Sports department, which it said advised deferment of upcoming elections of National Sports Federations until December 31, 2026 as a transitional measure.
Contending that the dispute involved its internal functioning, the OCA said the petitioner could not turn it into a public law dispute merely because the election had not been held. “The General Body is the supreme and final decision-making authority of an association.
A resolution passed by the requisite majority at a properly convened meeting binds the association and all its members, including those who dissented or remained absent,” the affidavit said.
The stand, however, differs from that of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has told the High Court that the OCA should hold elections immediately in accordance with its bylaws, BCCI rules and Supreme Court directions.
The BCCI has maintained that compliance with the Supreme Court directions is binding on the OCA and necessary for it to retain BCCI membership and recognition. The bench of Justice Savitri Ratho after hearing the matter on August 21 has directed that the matter be listed on August 27.
