The National Sports Council (NSC) on Friday formed a 15-member ad-hoc committee of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) under the leadership of Ramesh Silwal claiming that the move would end crisis in the sport.

The move from country’s supreme body of sports comes at a time when another group—belonging to the previous committee led by Tanka Aangbuhang—is claiming its legitimacy after holding annual general assembly, and subsequently elections, amidst controversial circumstances on December 15. While NSC had not validated the elections that unanimously appointed Chatur Bahadur Chand as the president, Aangbuhang-faction had also pulled the plug out of it.

NSC Member Secretary Keshav Bista said the ad-hoc committee was formed to give a way out to the current crisis. “The ad-hoc committee has been given a mandate to hold fresh elections within three months and head cricket into a proper direction,” said Bista who had directed Chief Executive Officer Bhawana Ghimire to look after the day-to-day operations of cricket governing body until NSC comes up with an option.

Bista claimed that NSC decision will be accepted by International Cricket Council (ICC) which has been closely monitoring the state of deadlock in Nepali cricket. 

“The decision has been taken in coordination with the ICC and we are 100 percent sure that it will work with this committee,” claimed the member secretary adding the new body was formed following extended discussions with the three major parties of the country. 

“We have not nominated party members in this body and there are no individuals with political personality,” said Bista. President Silwal, however, is a pro-UML and is alleged to have used his political reach in influencing the investigation over MBBS question paper leak scam in which Golden Gate International College, an institution that he runs, was embroiled last year.

Silwal had been the general secretary and vice-presidents in previous CAN committees. He was the general secretary when Youth and Sports Ministry formed a new committee last year after a majority of CAN top brass was charged for corruption. Rabindra Adhikari, Shailesh Karmacharya and Deepak Saud are the vice-presidents, while former national team skipper Pawan Agarwal was named as general secretary. 

Purna Lama was appointed as secretary with Bharat KC the treasurer. Dr Hari Shankar Sah, Ritu Singh Vaidya, Diwakar Poudel, Nirvan Chaudhary, Binayak Pokhrel, Suresh Lal Shrestha, Ranjit Tamang and LB Chhetri—also a former Nepal captain—-are the members. Lama, Saud and Tamang were also members in the Aangbuhang committee.

Bista also said that Nepali cricket will now take a leap forward. “There are qualified individuals without much political background and under them cricket will go a long way. We have also given the committee a full power to begin the process of transforming CAN into a board,” said Bista refuting the claims that NSC has made a political interference. 

“This move was important for cricket because there is association but not officials. I don’t think there are any legal grounds to go against this decision. If the court decides against it, we will accept,” said Bista. Silwal said his committee was hopeful to work in the betterment of game. “Our first job is to get support from the international bodies. There are people from diverse field in the committee, hopefully we can work smoothly,” said Silwal. 

Chand, meanwhile, said his committee was mentally prepared for the NSC decision adding: “We have come through a democratic process and will seek solution from the court. NSC has thrown cricket into further uncertainty by its latest move.”