The Special General Meeting of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), which claims itself elected, on Tuesday has conditionally passed the amendment draft bill prepared by the Advisory Group for the constitution amendment of the governing body of the sport in the country. 

International Cricket Council (ICC), on April 25, had suspended the membership of CAN in the pretext of unfair elections and government interference. To revive the membership, ICC had formed an eight-member Advisory Group which was tasked to review CAN constitution and prepare an amendment draft for fresh elections. Two months ago, the Group had handed over the amendment draft to ICC only to be opposed by two members from the elected CAN.

President Chatur Bahadur Chand and General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakurel had demanded their elected committee be given rights to participate in the elections for one term. Tuesday’s meeting passed the amendment bill but remained adamant in that demand. 

“We have a 29-member working committee and out of them 17 are elected. Today’s meeting passed the amendment bill but the participants voiced that the 17 elected members be given rights to file their candidacy in the elections and participate in the general meeting,” informed Pyakurel. “It doesn’t matter if we don’t have voting rights.”

The demand from the elected committee was outrightly rejected by the ICC when it had a round of discussions with the Advisory Group two months ago. ICC is currently considering to form a cricket body with a less number of executive members. 

The meeting also decided to have seven representatives from the National Sports Council (NSC) without voting rights in the general assembly. According to Pyakurel, the elected body wants the amended bill be sent to the ICC through NSC before seeking approval from the world cricket governing body. 

“The meeting decided that after the amended bill comes into implementation, the district elections should be held after 45 days and central elections after 105 days,” said Pyakurel. 

Nepali cricket has been in crisis since the world cricket governing body suspended the membership of CAN for its dual existence following disputed elections that saw the government intervene and form an ad-hoc committee.