SCA confirms ‘disqualification’ of Niranjan Shah and 3 other top office bearers, meeting to find replacements soon

Rajkot: The Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) will soon hold a meeting of its governing body to appoint 4 new office bearers including its president and secretary.

Its 82 years old President Lalbhai J Rathod, Secretary Niranjan Shah (72), Vice President Nathabhai Sisodia (90) and Vice President Balsinh Sarvaiya (86) have automatically ‘disqualified’ after the recent Supreme Court Judgement accepting the recommendations of Justice Lodha committee on reforms of cricket administration in which maximum age to hold such office has been barred at 70 years.

Confirming the disqualifications, Media Manager of the SCA Himanshu Shah today said that the governing body meeting to find their replacements with new appointments will be held in 5 to 6 days. ‘The date of the meeting has not yet been finalized, however it will be held in 5 to 6 days,’ he said adding that only these four have disqualified owing to age bar or any other restriction coming to force owing to the apex court’s judgement.

He said that none of the remaining 18 office bearers/governing body members have been affected as non of them are above 70 years of age or are in their position for over nine years.

To a query Shah said that despite his disqualification from Secretary’s post Niranjan Shah continue to be the member of the governing body of the association and would participate in the next meeting to select his successor.

Notably, Niranjan R. Shah, the legendary figure in the Indian cricket and former vice president, secretary and joint secretary and joint secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).had also played for Saurashtra and even captained its Ranji team in 70’s before being elected as the SCA secretary for the first time the same year. Since 1972 – 73, he was representing SCA in that capacity had served as a member of various committees of the BCCI. He was elected as Hony. Jt. Secretary of BCCI for the year 1992 – 93. He was elected as Board’s Hony. Secretary for the year 2001- 02 and was again elected as Hony. Secretary of BCCI in November 2005. In September 2006, Shah was re-elected as the Board’s Hony. Secretary for a further term of two years uncontested. He had also been Vice President of BCCI. He had also given services in various committees of BCCI such as disciplinary, World Cup 2011, Marketing, Finance, Technical, Programme & Fixture etc. He was also the Chairman of Umpire Committee and Vice Chairman of IPL. He was also the Chairman of National Cricket Academy of the BCCI.

President of SCA Lalbhai J Rathod, a doctor by profession, was also associated with other sports including football and tennis while Balsinh Sarvaiya was a former umpire.

The governing body of SCA is as following –

Dr. Lal J. Rathod President, Niranjan R. Shah Hony. Secretary, Nathabhai Sisodiya, Balsinh Sarvaiya (both Vice President) Madhukar S. Worah Hony. Jt. Secretary, Nitin J. Raichura Hony. Treasurer, Mukesh P. Shah, Suroo Doshi, Bhupat R. Talatia, Navin R. Shah, Yashwant N. Shah, Pankaj R. Shah, Dhirubhai Tajawala, Ram Odedra, Rajendra Sanghavi, Bharat N. Shah, Jaydev N. Shah, Himanshu P. Shah, Pradeep N. Shah, Damodar Khokhari, Mahendra Rajdev, Rohit Shah (All Governing Body Members).

DeshGujarat