SC bars JKCA election result declaration until further orders

Srinagar, Jan 8: The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that the results of Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) elections, if any, shall not be declared until further orders.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta passed the orders after taking serious note of allegations of fraud, backdating of orders, and manipulation of electoral rolls against members of a sub-committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as raised in the petition, according to reports.

The elections were being supervised by the court-appointed Electoral Officer, A K Jyoti.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by Youth Cricket Club and Ors, which alleges that the Sub-Committee, acting in collusion, retrospectively issued orders and unlawfully altered the electoral rolls, thereby striking at the core of a free, fair, and transparent electoral process.

Considering the gravity of the allegations, the Apex Court issued notice to the authorities and directed that the election results, if any, shall not be declared until further orders.

The petition, filed by as many as nineteen cricket clubs who comprise the general body of JKCA, alleges that the Electoral Officer has turned a blind eye completely to the illegalities being committed by the current administrators, which has resulted in the vitiation of the entire process.

“The inaction by the Electoral Officer, despite the illegalities having been pointed out repeatedly, clearly indicates that there is a bias, and the Cricket Clubs have no faith in the said Electoral Officer. It is therefore necessary that a retired judge of this Hon’ble Court be appointed to conduct the election process afresh to avoid any controversy and to maintain the sanctity of the entire process,” reads the petition.

The petition seeks direction for removing or relieving A K Joti, from the office of Electoral Officer for JKCA elections in view of his “abdication of duty, lack of independence and failure to protect the sanctity of top Court’s orders and the JKCA Constitution”.

It also seeks to appoint in Joti’s place a fresh and “independent Electoral Officer of unimpeachable integrity, to be named by the apex Court, to prepare electoral rolls and conduct JKCA elections strictly in accordance with the JKCA Constitution as approved on October 27, 2025, and the judgements and orders of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Moreover, the petition also seeks to appoint a retired judge of the Supreme Court as administrator of JKCA with full powers to take over charge of the day-to-day administration of JKCA from the existing BCCI sub-committee.