SHILLONG, JUN 8: MDA-II’s Rajya Sabha candidate James K Sangma on Monday asserted that his role as president of the Meghalaya Cricket Association complies with the law, even as he pledged to address long-pending administrative issues in the body.
Speaking to reporters after filing his Rajya Sabha nomination, Sangma responded to questions about holding the MCA post while being an MLA.
He clarified the legal distinction for elected representatives in sports administration.
“The law is very clear on that. As MLA or MP, you can hold an executive position in a sports association but not as a minister or in government,” he said.
The MCA chief admitted the association has been hampered by deep-rooted problems that stalled key processes. Fixing them, he said, is now his top priority.
“This is an internal matter of the MCA. Of course, I don’t shy away from the fact that there are problems. These are problems that have been going on for a very long time — legacy issues — and because of those kinds of challenges and problems, certain processes have come to a stop. We expect to resolve those kinds of problems and issues at the earliest. I am very concerned about the staff, be it the support staff or office staff,” Sangma said.
Since assuming charge in January, he said one of his first steps was to plug administrative gaps, including appointing an ombudsman after a two-year vacancy.
“There has to be an internal committee. I took over as president in January, but I am very aware of the situation and the lacunae and the loopholes that are there in the MCA. For example, you cannot have an ombudsman for two years in the past, so the first thing I did as president was to fill up that post and bring in an ombudsman,” he said.
On the MCA’s internal committee, Sangma said the association is holding off on action until it receives findings from the state women’s commission.
“Similarly, the internal committee is something that we will take up. We are waiting for the report from the women’s commission, and as and when the report is out, we will take appropriate steps pertaining to the issues,” Sangma added.
He said bringing back due process and accountability will define his tenure at the helm of the state cricket body.
By Our Reporter
