Shillong, July 1: The Meghalaya High Court has put on hold a special general meeting of the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) scheduled for July 3 and suspended resolutions passed at an emergent Apex Council meeting held on May 9, citing “serious allegations” and violations of the MCA Constitution.
Justice HS Thangkhiew passed the order on Wednesday after hearing a petition filed by MCA president and lone Rajya Sabha MP James K Sangma against MCA’s honorary secretary Rayanold Kharkamni and six others.
The MCA president sought interim relief to stay the notice dated June 27, 2026 convening the special general meeting, and to restrain Kharkamni from acting on behalf of the MCA.
The plea also sought protection of the authority and independence of the MCA Ombudsman.
Senior advocates RS Rao and N Mozika, appearing for the petitioner with advocate M Myrchiang, submitted that Kharkamni had convened an “illegal” emergent Apex Council meeting on May 9, 2026 without the president’s concurrence and in defiance of a stay order issued by the Ombudsman.
The petitioner argued that the May 9 meeting violated Rule 18(c)(iv) of the MCA Constitution. In response, Sangma had issued a suspension notice on May 7 to all Apex Council members.
When the meeting proceeded, Sangma filed a representation before the Ombudsman under Rule 41(1)(a).
“By order dated 08.05.2026, the Ombudsman took cognizance of the said complaint and directed that further process pursuant to the impugned notice dated 06.05.2026, shall remain suspended until further orders,” the order noted.
Despite this, respondents No. 1 to 5 conducted the meeting on May 9 with the “sole objective to keep in abeyance the decisions taken during the 26th Apex Council meeting dated 07.03.2026, which would also include the appointment of the Ombudsman,” the petitioner submitted.
The 26th Apex Council meeting on March 7, 2026, attended by Kharkamni and others, had ratified the appointment of the Ombudsman.
The Court was also informed of complaints filed by six members of the MCA Under-23 Women’s Cricket Team before the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW), alleging “sexual harassment, intimidation and institutional inaction” against team officials and support staff.
A similar complaint was filed before the Ombudsman on May 8, 2026.
Following MSCW findings against the Head Coach and Team Manager, Sangma, as president, placed Kharkamni “under immediate suspension” on June 27, 2026, for “active cover-up of sexual harassment complaint,” stripping him of all authority.
Kharkamni then issued a notice on June 27, 2026 calling a Special General meeting for July 3, 2026, which the petitioner challenged.
Justice Thangkhiew observed that the Ombudsman’s appointment was made with the participation of Kharkamni and others at the March 7 meeting.
“The subsequent actions of the respondent No. 1 to undo the same due to the serious allegations by seeking to revisit the resolution and in the backdrop of the other accompanying facts, in the considered view of this Court, the petitioner has made out a prima facie case for interim orders at this stage,” the Court said.
Accordingly, the Court directed, “Till the next date the notice dated 27.06.2026 calling for a Special General meeting on 03.07.2026, shall stand suspended as also the resolutions and consequent action arising out of the emergent Apex Council meeting held on 09.05.2026.”
The order added, “It is further provided that the Ombudsman shall continue to discharge his functions, as per the MCA Constitution and in accordance with law till the next date.”
The Court noted that the interim order was passed ex-parte and granted liberty to the respondents to seek vacation, modification, or alteration before the next hearing.
The matter has been listed with the main case on July 21, 2026.
