The Bombay High Court has issued a significant order regarding the upcoming MCA elections. In its directive issued on November 4, the court stated that the publication of the list of candidates, following the scrutiny of nomination papers, before the proposed elections on November 12, is temporarily stayed until November 7.
Bombay HC: The Bombay High Court has issued a major order concerning the upcoming elections of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). The court on Tuesday temporarily stayed the electoral process, halting the publication of the candidate list until November 7. The court clarified that the Election Officer must first pass a “detailed and reasoned order” on all objections, only after which the final list of candidates can be made public.
This order was issued by a division bench comprising Justice Riyaz Chagla and Justice Farhan Dubash. The court stated that it is essential to ensure transparency and fairness in the MCA election process, especially when there are allegations of political interference.
What is the matter?
The elections for the Mumbai Cricket Association are scheduled for November 12, 2025. According to the election schedule, candidates could withdraw their nominations between November 5 and 7, while the final candidate list was to be released on November 5. However, some members had raised objections to the election process, claiming that the Election Officer had not provided a reasoned order on their objections.
The petitioners stated that they had lodged objections on October 20, but no clear decision was given on them when the voter list was released on October 24. On this, the High Court held that the Election Officer must follow due process and issue a “reasoned order” on all objections.
Court's Order and Impact
The High Court stated that until these objections are decided, the list of valid candidates will not be released. The court has scheduled the next hearing for November 7. The bench also remarked that “if any single date in the election schedule is changed, it will impact the entire electoral calendar.” Therefore, the court will review this impact in the next hearing.
Following this order, the MCA's election process has partially stalled, and all candidates will now have to await the court's decision. This time, the influence of politics is also visible in the MCA elections. Eight candidates have filed nominations for the president's post, including former Indian women's team captain Diana Edulji, incumbent president Ajit Naik, and several political figures.
According to sources, Ajit Naik has re-nominated despite holding the post for six consecutive years, even though a “cooling-off period” might apply to him. Prominent political names in the nomination list include:
- Prasad Lad (BJP MLC)
- Milind Narvekar (Shiv Sena - Uddhav faction, close aide of Uddhav Thackeray)
- Jitendra Awhad (Nationalist Congress Party MLA)
Additionally, names like Vihang Sarnaik, Suraj Samat, and Shahalam Shaikh are also among the candidates. Cricket enthusiasts believe that the increasing participation of political figures in a sports institution like the MCA could impact administrative decisions. The court, in its order, stated that fairness and transparency should be paramount in sports associations. Justice Chagla remarked that the Election Officer must ensure that no member feels “unheard or a victim of injustice.”
This directive highlights the growing role of constitutional standards and judicial oversight in Indian cricket administration. The MCA will now have to wait until the next hearing on November 7. It is then that the court will decide whether the election process can proceed according to the predetermined schedule or if modifications are required.
