Names Of Virat, Shikhar, Pant Missing In DDCA List Of Members For Elections Despite SC Judgment On Lodha Reforms

The DDCA on Wednesday evening released the voter list for the upcoming elections for a new president, treasurer and four directors.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: He may have a grand stand put up in his name at the Arun Jaitley Stadium for his cricketing exploits, lead the Indian team, become the world No.1 batsman but the only thing he can't get is the right to vote in the Delhi & District Cricket Association -- his own state association. This despite clear instructions in the Lodha reforms on the new governance rules as well as the DDCA constitution stipulating that all international players will automatically become members of the state association. The DDCA on Wednesday evening released the voter list for the upcoming elections for a new president, treasurer and four directors but some very famous names and current members of Team India were all missing from the list. Conspicuous by the absence was the names of Virat, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini and Ashish Nehra from that list. However, the name of Ishant Sharma is present in the list along with other former Indian cricketers. When contacted, the DDCA staff put it down to small technicalities, saying that they are yet to hear from the players on the matter and hence waiting to include them. "There is a small technicality that these international players can become members from any other state they have played or resided also,so we have hear from them before including them," says an official adding that "we have sent them a form with details required and waiting for them to revert. If they send it to us now, we will immediately include them." However that too seems slightly flawed as all the players, including Virat have only played for Delhi and have their residence here. Elections for the president is much valued after Rohan Jaitley, son of former DDCA president and former finance minister, is likely to jump into the fray. Elections for the posts are expected within six weeks after a Delhi High Court order.