Punjab Cricket Association president Gulzar Chahal resigns amid allegations of illegal activities

Gulzar Inder Chahal has stepped down as President of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) amid allegations of illegal activities. The former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh recently pointed out at the illegal activities that surfaced at the state association on October 7 via an open letter to the officials. 

Gulzar took the Twitter to announce his decision to resign with an immediate effect citing person reasons. He wrote, "Due to personal reasons I hereby tender my resignation as President of Punjab Cricket Association." 

Due to personal reasons I hereby tender my resignation as President of Punjab Cricket Association. @BhagwantMann @JayShah @ThakurArunS

— Gulzar Chahal (@gulzarchahal) October 13, 2022

Harbhajan, Chief Advisor at PCA, revealed that he received many complaints from the office bearers at the association regarding illegal activities. Those activities were used to induce new members to the association to influence votes. Harbhajan had also told that the PCA is trying to induct members with voting rights "to tilt the balance in their favour" and that the same was being done without the apex council's assent.

"For the last week or 10 days, I have been receiving numerous complaints from cricket lovers in Punjab and several stakeholders that the PCA under the present president is resorting to a lot of illegal activities, which is against transparency and the spirit of cricket administration. I learned that yesterday, complaints in this regard have been lodged with the Ombudsman," Harbhajan had written in the letter.

"The crux of the matter is PCA is trying hard to induct around 150 members with voting rights to tilt the balance in their favor and these inductions are being done without the assent of the apex council/General Body. Therefore, these activities are against the BCCI constitution, guidelines of the PCA, and violation of transparency and ethical norms in the administration of sports bodies. To hide their illegal activities, they are not organizing formal meetings of the PCA, and are taking all the decisions suo moto which serve their selfish motives," Harbhajan added.