ALLEGING bias in granting voting rights to sports associations in the ensuing elections of Maharashtra Olympic Association (MOA), Maha Basketball Association (MBA) has requested MOA not to allow MLC Sandip Joshi-led Maharashtra State Basketball Association (MSBA) to participate in the November 2 polls. Addressing mediapersons on Tuesday, MBA Secretary and Shiv Chhatrapati awardee Shatrughna Gokhale alleged MOA is applying different yardsticks for different games while giving voting rights. He said, “Several State-level sports associations held press conferences stating that they were not granted voting rights in the upcoming elections.

 

Meanwhile, Namdev Shirgaonkar, Secretary of Maharashtra Olympic Association, has clarified that since there are ongoing legal disputes involving some of these associations and cases are sub-judice in the court, such sports governing bodies were excluded from the voting list.” Gokhale said a writ petitions (WP/7691/2023) has been filed in the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court regarding dispute in basketball as well. “If MOA is stating that due to sub-judiced matters they have not given voting rights then why they allowed MSBA to participate in the election process,” Gokhale questioned. Gokhale also threatened to move court if their demands are not met. “We have raised objections and have also sent our objections with relevant documents to MOA before the deadline (September 23).

 

If our demands are not met we might move court,” he said. Gokhale also claimed that MBA is the only basketball body in the State which is registered with charity commissioner office. On the other hand the Joint Charity Commissioner of Mumbai has issued an order stating that the registration of MSBA be cancelled and further legal inquiry be conducted by the Assistant Charity Commissioner. Furthermore, the registration application submitted in 2019 by MSBA secretary Muthu Kumar is still pending. “In such circumstances, the Maharashtra Olympic Association should not allow MSBA to participate in the upcoming elections. A similar objection was raised during the previous elections as well, but it was ignored,” Gokhale said. Dr Dhananjay Welukar was also present during the press conference.