Setback to NCP MLA Rohit Pawar as Bombay High Court halts Cricket Association polls on plea by Kedar Jadhav

The Bombay High Court on Monday halted the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Apex Council elections scheduled for today after observing that the large-scale induction of new members into the general body of MCA just ahead of the polls raised serious questions of legality, fairness and transparency [Kedar Mahadeo Jadhav v. Maharashtra Cricket Association & Ors.].The interim order is a setback for incumbent MCA President and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar with the bench directing the electoral officer not to proceed with the election in any manner whatsoever till further orders..A Division Bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam A Ankhad noted that around 400 new members had been admitted to the MCA general body barely two months before the election schedule was published on December 23, 2025.“The manner in which the entire process of admission of new members has been undertaken gives a prima-facie impression that everything was done in a hot haste,” the Court observed..The bench also gave a prima facie opinion that sufficient opportunity was not given to the petitioners to raise their objections to admission of such large number of members and their inclusion in the voters list.“Admission of about 400 new members would certainly change the whole complexion and to a certain extent the Constitution of the MCA in certain aspects,” the bench noted..The bench was hearing petitions filed by former Indian cricketer Kedar Jadhav, Latur District Cricket Association, Anant Nilkanth Mate (life member of MCA) and Shikshana Prasarak Mandali’s Sir Parashurambhau College, Pune.The petition called the election process ‘illegal’ and cited erroneous inclusion of over 400 voters in the draft voter list, which increased the general body’s strength from 150 to over 600 members..Jadhav’s plea specifically alleged that the new list included relatives of NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar—including his wife Kunti Pawar and father-in-law Satish Magar—as well as NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s daughter Revati, Baramati Agro’s Subhash Gulave, and over 30 NCP leaders.The plea claimed these names were added "all of a sudden without following due process of law. Jadhav alleged the list "smirks of building dynasties" by including close relatives of the current president.They sought quashing of the election schedule issued on December 23, 2025.The plea also sought appointment of administrators to conduct the election in a "fair and legal" manner..The Bench was critical of the lack of transparency around the decision-making in the Apex Council and Annual General Meeting (AGM), including the approval of 397 new members in one go based on the report of a retired High Court judge.MCA urged the Court not to interfere with an ongoing election process and to relegate the petitioners to an election petition. They argued that the petitions were a "design to stall the elections and to put an Administrator in charge of the MCA".MCA defended the inclusion of members claiming that the newly inducted members have made substantial contributions to the cause of cricket by donating crores of rupees and stadiums and that MCA rules do not restrict businessmen or relatives from becoming members..However, the bench refused to adopt a hands-off approach, holding that an election petition cannot be the remedy in this situation and the High Court should not permit the illegality to be perpetuated.“High Court is entitled to examine the decision making process as to how about 400 new members were inducted in the MCA under different category in the face of the allegations of illegality, arbitrariness and nepotism,” the court noted.It held that the balance of convenience lay in favour of the petitioners and that they would suffer irreparable loss if the elections were allowed to continue..Senior advocates Vineet Naik, Venkatesh Dhond, Vishwajeet Sawant with advocates Sukand Kulkarni and Sandeep Salunkhe appeared for three petitioners.Advocates Abhinav Chandrachud, Janay Jain, Vinayak Chitale and Srishti Magdum briefed by Parinam Law Associates appeared for another petitioner.Senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi and Mustafa Doctor with advocates Amjith M Anandan, Dewang Mhatre and Rohan D Kaiche appeared for Electoral officer.Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Sharan Jagtiani with advocates Dixita Gohil, Yash S Vijay, Pranjal Agarwal, Shweta Surana, Jatin Patil and Shikhar Agarwal briefed by Gohil Agarwal Law Chambers appeared for Maharashtra Cricket Association.Advocates Neha S Bhide, Kavita N Solunke and GR Raghuwanshi appeared for State of Maharashtra.[Read Order].Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.