Dist admn set to conduct Amritsar Games Association election

After successive attempts to appoint the secretary of the Amritsar Games Association (AGA) came under criticism, the district administration is all set to hold election to the body which looks after cricket in Amritsar.

Nearly 800 players practise cricket on the Gandhi ground which has produced several first-class and international players. The Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) has engaged three coaches, including one woman, to train cricketers here.

Earlier, the district administration’s move to appoint the then SDM Simrandeep Singh, SDM Mankanwal Singh Chahal and AAP youth wing leader Navjot Singh Grover as office-bearers of the AGA backfired, as its members alleged the administration flouted norms.

This prompted AGA secretary Narinder Sharma to serve a legal notice through his counsel Punjab and Haryana High Court advocate Shailendra Sharma against the Deputy Commissioner and SDM Amritsar-II.

In the notice, he alleged that appointments amounted to the flouting of norms of the Lodha Committee recommendations which were duly accepted by the Supreme Court of India that ministers and government servants cannot be the office- bearers of any cricket association of India.

It mentioned that in this regard, a letter dated October 12, 2024, was also written by Iqbal Singh, member of the governing body of the AGA, whereby the reference of the judgment of the apex court containing the recommendations of the Lodha Committee was given.

The notice reads the AGA is a charitable non-profit association with the primary objective of the promotion of the game of cricket in Amritsar. It framed its rules and regulations known as “Rules and Regulations of the AGA”.

That as per the rules, the society is being run by a governing body which consists of office-bearers and executive members. Despite this, the appointment of bureaucrats and politicians without consulting and taking prior authorisation of the governing body.

It stated that it should be ensured that the bank account should be opened in the name of the Amritsar Games Association only.

It suggested the handing over of complete charge to the governing body through an ad hoc functioning committee of the AGA to escape further legal action.

When approached, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said the appointments were made as per the constitution of the AGA. She said the election would be conducted which was long overdue. SDM Mankanwal was the honorary secretary and the post of the vice-president would go for election.

The functioning of the AGA, which went to election in 2020, held after a gap of 15 years, was in the eye of the storm after its honorary secretary IS Bajwa resigned some months ago, citing personal reasons. He was one of the senior members of the AGA. A retired sports officer from the Punjab Sports Department, he had been a member of the AGA for the past nearly two decades while holding the post of secretary twice. Elected vice-president in the previous election, he was overlooked for consultation prior to recent appointments and even during recent formation of a steering committee.

The last election of the cricket body was held in 2020 in which 193 members had cast their ballots. As per its constitution, the election is to be held after every three years. As per the norms, the election for the 21-member executive is to be held every year yet it has not been held in the past five years. There is also a provision for a governing body comprising four vice-presidents, two joint secretaries, equal number of assistant secretaries and one finance secretary.