Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has denied the national cricket body played any part in appointing Rayonald Kharkamni as convenor for the North East zone women's selection committee. The appointment sparked immediate backlash. Kharkamni currently faces a suspension issued by the Meghalaya High Court.
The Meghalaya State Commission for Women previously found Kharkamni guilty of gross negligence regarding sexual harassment claims. Players brought these allegations against former coach Hemant Roy and assistant manager S Mondal. Despite the court ruling, Kharkamni landed the role overseeing the Inter-Zonal Women's T20 tournament.
Saikia insists the BCCI holds no jurisdiction over these regional roles. State associations within each zone manage their own appointments. Saikia stated, "BCCI's official stand is very clear. BCCI never appoints zonal selection committee members or zonal selection committee conveners."
Saikia claimed the BCCI remained unaware of the move. State associations including Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Nagaland manage the selection process. He noted that the appointment occurred on October 18, followed by a meeting on November 5. The board had no input on these internal state decisions.
The blame lies with the Meghalaya Cricket Association. They chose to ignore the court order. Saikia, who also serves as the Advocate General of Assam, said the state body must act to withdraw the official immediately. He emphasized that the BCCI cannot intervene or provide counsel for these local governance matters.
Updated at 12th November 2026 at 2:15pm
Saikia expressed genuine surprise at the reports linking the national board to the selection. He noted that while the board sometimes uses national selectors to pick squads for men's competitions like the Duleep Trophy, those procedures are distinct from the zonal system where state bodies handle all appointments.
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