'BCCI Doesn't Appoint Zonal Selection Committee Convenor': BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia On NE Women's Convenor Rayonald

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has rejected reports that the Board had a role in the appointment of Meghalaya Cricket Association official Rayonald Kharkamni as the convenor of North East zone's women's selection committee, saying the decision was made by the state body despite a High Court suspension order against him.

Kharkamni was suspended by Meghalaya High Court after the Meghalaya State Commission for Women found him guilty of gross negligence in dealing with allegations of sexual harassment from women's team players against former coach Hemant Roy and assistant manager S Mondal.

Saikia said zonal selection committee convenors do not fall under BCCI's purview and are selected by the state associations. Kharkamni was made convener of the selection panel for the Inter-Zonal Women's T20 tournament.

"BCCI's official stand is very clear. BCCI never appoints zonal selection committee members or zonal selection committee conveners. So, I am very shocked and surprised to see reports that BCCI has appointed someone who has been barred by the court and who has some serious charges with regards to women levelled against him," Saikia told PTI in an interaction.

"The BCCI is not at the helm of affairs in appointing zonal conveners of any selection committee, whether it is men's or women's. So it is not BCCI who has appointed the person who is named in the media. It is rather that the state associations (Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland) that had appointed him," he said.

Saikia also said BCCI was not informed by the Meghalaya Cricket Association about the choice despite his tainted record.

"We have verified it. He was appointed sometime on October 18. The meeting had taken place on November 5. BCCI is not privy to all those decisions. Neither can we interfere, nor can we advise. Neither are we informed about who is appointed where," he said.

"So, in the case of this gentleman who is now barred by the Meghalaya High Court, he was appointed by the Meghalaya Cricket Association. And if he was barred by the High Court, it is the responsibility of the Meghalaya Cricket Association to withdraw him," said Saikia, who also happens to be the Advocate General of Assam.

BCCI, for some years, decided that national selectors (men) would select (India A, B, C) teams for Duleep Trophy before reverting to an inter-zonal system. In case of women, the state associations from a particular zone elect the selection convenor.

"You are having various kinds of selection meetings going on for various zonal, and inter-zonal tournaments in men's section, and identically in the women's section also we have the zonal things.

"But the selectors as well as the conveners of those selection committees on a zonal basis are appointed by their respective state associations who are in that zone," he clarified.