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Supreme Court refuses to intervene in BCCI polls plea
MUMBAI: Is it the end of the road for warring factions in the Indian cricket board using the courts to delay any development detrimental to their interests?
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a petition by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) against an order of former Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishnamurthy, appointed as an observer for the BCCI elections scheduled for 29 and 30 November.
According to Krishnamurthy’s ruling, “the Chairman at the AGM during the course of the elections shall have the right to exercise his casting vote if there is a tie in the number of votes polled in respect of any of the office bearer’s posts. “The Chairman shall not have any other special voting rights except the right to vote as a member if he is duly authorised to vote by the association which he represents.”
Krishnamurthy’s ruling on the casting vote is particularly pertinent if one considers that the Indian cricket board supremo Jagmohan Dalmiya had last year used three votes to pip the wiley Maharashtra political strongman Sharad Pawar in a close contest.
“Let the election take place. You can challenge the election. If we find anything wrong, we will set it aside,” the Press Truct of India quoted a Bench headed by Justice BP Singh as saying today. The Bench said it was not inclined to interfere with the election at this stage. The nominations for the BCCI election are to be filed on 27 November.
The decision will of course please the Pawar camp, among whom is the Rajasthan Cricket Association president Lalit Modi. A sworn enemy of the present BCCI set up, Modi has an active interest in the India cricket telecast rights issue. The implications of Pawar’s group getting control of the richest cricket board in the world will have a critical bearing on how the telecast rights will be given out.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
