The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to entertain a challenge concerning the internal election disputes, electoral rolls, and administrative wrangles of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), leaving all contested issues to be adjudicated by the Rajasthan High Court [Rajendra Singh vs State of Rajasthan].
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana refused to interfere with the ongoing proceedings, underlining that High Courts are constitutional forums fully equipped to resolve such grievances without apex court oversight.
"Let us not predict what the High Court will do. Let us not predict what the outcome will be. If the High Court errs, we are there. But let us not handhold the High Court. The High Court knows how to take a decision and what to do," remarked Justice Bagchi during the hearing.
The Court was hearing a petition preferred by Rajendra Singh Nandhu, Secretary of the Nagaur District Cricket Association, challenging the manner in which the RCA's electoral process was conducted.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted before the Bench that seven district cricket associations had been unilaterally disbanded, disenfranchising them from the electoral process.
Multiple appeals filed by the aggrieved district associations remained pending without resolution, it was pointed out.
The petitioner contended that an independent Ombudsman was imperative to examine disputes regarding membership eligibility, affiliation, and voting rights prior to concluding the polls.
The Bench observed that whether State cricket associations are strictly governed by the judicial framework mandated under the Justice Lodha Committee reforms or by subsequent statutory enactments passed by the legislature remains an arguable question of law.
Taking note of the factual matrix surrounding the polls, the Court observed that the elections had been conducted under the supervision of an administrator appointed by the Rajasthan High Court, who engaged a former State Chief Election Commissioner as the electoral officer.
This officer finalised the electoral rolls after disposing of various objections through reasoned, speaking orders.
Furthermore, the Bench took into account that the declaration of the election results had already been placed in a sealed cover pursuant to an earlier directive of the Supreme Court concerning the absence of women’s representation within the association’s electoral and governance framework.
Reiterating the established hierarchy of constitutional courts, the apex court observed that it found no reason to preempt the High Court's jurisdiction when the matter is actively pending before it.
The Bench noted that it has no reason to doubt that the Rajasthan High Court will afford a fair hearing to all concerned parties and pass appropriate orders on the merits of each contention including the claims regarding excluded district bodies and the voter list.
With these observations, the Supreme Court declined further interference, relegating all pending contentions to the High Court for final determination.
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