The impending election of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) appears to hit the roadblock after the International Cricket Council (ICC) termed it ‘inappropriate’ to go ahead with it considering a breach in recent agreement with the concerned stakeholders.

CAN had said it would hold the central elections by December 24 after its Special General Meeting on August 23 passed the new constitution with amendments and got approval from the National Sports Council (NSC). ICC, however, said the amendments were not in line with the agreement made with world cricket’s governing body and ICC Advisory Group in the previous discussion between the three parties. 

CAN has been under suspension since April 25, 2016 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 the constitution and prepare an amendment draft for fresh elections. In a letter written to CAN General Secretary Ashok Nath Pyakuryal by ICC and obtained by the Post, it read: “The Board remains concerned that the CAN constitution, as amended and proposed by the Nepal Advisory Group—upon which CAN was represented—was not passed at the Special General Meeting on 22-23 August (2017).”

“Based on the information that you have provided us (about new amendments), the Constitution that was passed at the aforementioned SGM appears to contain 27 amendments to the Constitution agreed by the Advisory Group,” said the letter that further added ICC would seek legal advise and assess the amendments before declaring its position.

It has also been suggested to suspend the amended constitution and wait for time when ICC and CAN both come to an agreement in a separate discussion. “Once we have the legal advice back I propose that we travel to Kathmandu to discuss the next steps. In the meantime, it is not appropriate that we participate in the election process of the revised constitution until such a time as the ICC and CAN reach agreement on such,” the letter read. 

The letter further said: “In the meantime, we would suggest that any further actions in relation to the implementation for the constitution that was passed at the SGM on 22-23 August be suspended until CAN and the ICC are in agreement on the CAN constitution.” 

CAN recently concluded elections in 37 out of 39 districts but considering the reaction from the CAN, the elections appears to be held without the consent of the ICC. It is also been learnt from a separate ICC correspondence that despite repeated calls from the world cricket governing body, CAN had not responded to provide the evidence that CAN’s office bearers were appointed from a free and fair elections “in line with its constitution and the government interference in CAN has been proper addressed, understood and remedied in the full so that it can get reinstated.”