Ahead of Baroda Cricket Association polls: Gujarat HC asks BCA “not to reject” Vadodara doctor’s presidential bid

The Gujarat High Court on Friday directed the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) “not to reject” the candidature of city-based Dr Darshan Banker, who is running for the post of the President of the BCA in the upcoming high-stakes February 15 elections of the cricket body. The BCA is an affiliate of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Banker has moved the HC seeking directions to the BCA to alter the new clause of making it mandatory for candidates to remain present in person during the scrutiny of the nomination forms on January 20, stating that it has been “public knowledge” that his son is tying the knot in a destination wedding in Goa on that day.

The HC, after hearing the submissions of Senior Advocate Mihir Thakore on behalf of the petitioner issued a notice to BCA and directed that the cricket association must not reject the nomination form for the reason of his inability to be present in person at the time of scrutiny or to allow a representative to be present in place of the petitioner at the time of scrutiny as scheduled on January 20, 2026.

In his submissions, the petitioner’s advocates contended that the date of the scrutiny of forms have been selected as January 20 “in a deliberate move” to keep the petitioner out of the race in the high-stakes polls as it was “public knowledge” that the petitioners’ son’s wedding was fixed for January 20, 2026 in Goa. The petitioner’s advocates further submitted that the clause stating that the “candidates must remain present during the scrutiny of nomination forms on January 20, 2026” has been added as a “deviation from usual practice in the previous elections” and also as a departure from the clause of the BCA’s constitution.

The petitioner’s counsel cited the procedure for election laid down in the Constitution of the BCA, which provides for the process of nominations for election to the apex council to various offices to be “submitted up to six days before the election”. Thakore, in his submissions pointed out that the notice for election was issued on January 6, 2026 and the nomination forms and affidavit can be submitted from January 17 to 19, 2026, between 11am to 6pm, while the date of the scrutiny of the nomination forms is designated as January 20. The BCA has, in its notification, also stated that any form received thereafter will not be considered.

In his submissions, Thakore pointed out that “the election is to be held on February 15. Therefore, six days prior to that is February 9… There is sufficient time (for the BCA) to alter the dates or to alter the dates of the scrutiny of forms from January 20 by (postponing it for) two days and thereby also the dates for withdrawal of nominations, currently scheduled for January 21 (can be postponed by two days).”

Thakore also submitted that the BCA’s clause that electoral officers “will carry out scrutiny on February 20 in presence of candidates and candidates must remain present” was a first-of-its-kind move as the previous elections did not have such a clause, where candidates were personally required to be present for the nominations.

Considering the submissions of the petitioner’s counsel, Justice Mauna Bhatt of the Gujarat High Court issued notice to BCA and directed that the nomination form of Dr Darshan Banker may not be rejected merely on the ground of his personal absence during the scrutiny of forms on January 20.

In an oral order on Friday, the HC said, “This petition is filed challenging the notice dated January 6, 2026… for elections of Baroda Cricket Association for the term 2026-2029… Senior advocate Mihir Thakore submitted that the petitioner, who is a probable candidate for the said election for the post of President. The petitioner herein is aggrieved by (the said) notice, wherein, as per Clause g of the notice, the scrutiny of nominations shall be held on January 20, 2026 from 11am onwards in presence of the candidates, (in which) candidates must remain present. As per the said notice, nomination forms and affidavit are to be submitted from January 17 to 19 from 11am to 6pm. Thereafter the nomination shall not be considered.”

The oral order further states, “In this case, though the petitioner is a probable candidate and it is in knowledge of all concerns, they have taken into consideration such date on which wedding of his son, destinated at Goa is fixed. In such circumstances, it is impossible for the petitioner to personally stay present when the scrutiny takes place, which is mandated as per the clause…”

Stating that the petitioner’s advocate had referred to the Constitution of the BCA to submit that the presence of the candidate personally is not required as per the constitution, the oral order of the court states, “As per a clause, the procedure can be completed prior to six days of the election. It is not the case that the minimum requirement of days are not available to the respondent. Learned Senior advocate submitted to stay the effect and implementation of the Clause g of notice dated January 6, 2026. Considering the submission, issue notice…”

The court further posted the matter for January 15 for granting interim relief and stated in its oral order, “This court has noticed that prima facie reading of the regulation does not require mandatory presence of candidate during scrutiny of nomination forms, which in this case is scheduled from January 20, 2026… Considering the urgency of this petition, this court deems it appropriate to direct the respondents not to reject the candidature of the petitioner for his non-presence at the time of scrutiny as scheduled on January 20, 2026. The respondents are directed to permit the representative of the petitioner to remain present during scrutiny as scheduled on January 20, 2026.”

The prestige battle in the upcoming BCA election will see the once arch-rivals Royal group led by Samarjitsinh Gaekwad and Revival Group led by industrialist Pranav Amin, contesting as a united front, following their mutual understanding in the 2023 polls. Dr Banker is set to contest against sitting President Pranav Amin.