Himachal Pradesh Government is likely to bring a legislation to regulate the functioning of sport bodies, including Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) in the State.
Himachal Cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will meet here on Wednesday to approve a draft of the proposed legislation that would ensure transparency and regulate the functioning of all sports bodies, including HPCA. If the proposed sports registration and regulation draft gets Cabinet approval, it would be sent to Governor Urmila Singh for her consent. And later, the Government will try to get it passed in the Assembly, said a Government official. The Congress had earlier enacted the Himachal Pradesh Sports (Registration and Regulation of Association) Act in 2006 but it was repealed by the Prem Kumar Dhumal-led BJP regime.
Notably, the High Court interim order had indicted Himachal Pradesh Government for forcible eviction of the BJP MP Anurag Thakur-led State cricket body HPCA from the picturesque cricket stadium in Dharamsala.
The HC bench had stated that it was “an act of highhandedness” of the State authorities, which were expected to follow a due course of law to dispossess any person and maintained that the action was “politically motivated and goes against all established norms, rule of law and the Constitution.” A day after the HC’s order, the Government had clarified that it had no intention of taking control of sports bodies. The court will now hear the matter on November 28.
The State Cabinet had cancelled the grant of lease of all lands given to HPCA and took over the properties, including cricket stadium and The Pavilion at Dharamsala and lands at Bilaspur, Nurpur, Kotkhai and Shimla on October 26 midnight. Police personnel at midnight had sealed The Pavilion and Dharamsala international stadium, which has hosted the ODI and the IPl. Several other properties managed by BJP MP Anurag Thakur headed HPCA at Nadaun, Hamirpur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla were also forcibly seized by police.