The Delhi High Court on Monday has scheduled a hearing for August 1 on former cricketer Kirti Azad’s petition.
Azad is seeking judicial directions to appoint an administrator for the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) and to recast the DDCA’s electoral roll to adhere to a “one family, one vote” system, followed by fresh elections.
Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain set the date for consideration but Senior Advocate Vikas Singh, representing Azad, requested that the matter be transferred to a Division Bench, arguing that it has the nature of a public interest litigation.
Previously, the court had asked all respondents to provide their responses to the petition. Azad’s plea calls for a more transparent and fair membership system at the DDCA, including a clear waiting list of applicants to replace the current ad-hoc membership process. The petition also demands that only those who pay their Club Subscription Fees on time be allowed to vote in elections.
Azad claims that the existing membership process lacks clear guidelines and is subject to arbitrary decisions by DDCA officials. He alleges that memberships are often strategically given to selected individuals and their families, creating a family monopoly. This has led to officials placing their relatives in various official positions within the DDCA and even enrolling their staff as members. The petition also alleges issues with bogus voting and irregular membership verification.
According to Azad, these practices contribute to corruption and nepotism in team selections, affecting the Delhi team’s performance in various cricket tournaments such as the Vijay Merchant Trophy, Vinoo Mankad Trophy, and Ranji Trophy. He argues that the team’s poor performance is a direct result of the corrupt selection process.
To address these issues, Azad is calling for the introduction of a new, fair membership system and a restriction on voting to one vote per family. This, he argues, would prevent the entrenchment of a few families in positions of power and eliminate the current monopoly within the DDCA.
