Controversy over BCCI’s new secretary: Who is Devajit Saikia?

Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia were officially elected as the BCCI secretary and treasurer respectively during the Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on Sunday (January 12. Saikia and Prabhtej were the only candidates in the fray for the vacant posts once BCCI electoral officer and former CEC of India, Achal Kumar Joti finalised the list on Tuesday.

Saikia replaces Jay Shah

He has been working as the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) interim secretary since Jay Shah took over as the ICC chairman on December 1. Earlier, he was BCCI joint secretary from May 2021 onwards.

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The BCCI constitution stipulates that any vacant post should be filled within 45 days by calling an SGM, and Sunday’s meeting was well within that period, held on the 43rd day.

Bhatia filed the nomination for the treasurer’s post after incumbent Ashish Shelar recently took oath as a Cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government.

Who is Saikia?

The 55-year-old Saikia is a former cricketer. As a wicketkeeper-batter, he played four first-class matches for Assam in 1990-91 season and scored 53 runs.

Saikia is also the Advocate General of Assam since 2019. He also served as vice-president and secretary of Assam Cricket Association (ACA).

Last year, while talking to TV channels, Saikia had said he was “compelled” to enter cricket administration after “corruption” in the ACA. “It was never my intention to be a cricket or sports administrator. Even today I don't like being an administrator,” Saikia had said.

‘Office of Profit’ allegations

Last month, after Saikia took over as BCCI’s interim secretary, Assam’s Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia wrote to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna alleging that Advocate General Devajit being the acting secretary was a “serious breach of privileges by a constitutional post holder”.

He said Devajit’s position qualified as an “office of profit” in violation of privileges of the Assam Assembly.

“The appointment of Sri Devajit Lon Saikia as Member of the Board of Directors of ICC is also questionable as he must not hold any position of employment with a Member State as per ICC Articles and Memorandum of Association,” Congress leader Debabrata wrote in his letter.

He also marked the letter to Assam’s governor, chief minister, chief secretary and the chairman of the Bar Council of India.

“He being Advocate General of Assam, is in violation of ICC Rules. Also, a holder of India’s constitutional post cannot take upon an international organisation’s fiduciary position, if that organisation has India’s foreign adversaries like Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. as its members. This puts India and (the) State of Assam’s interests at (a) critical compromising position,” he added in the letter.