Jaipur: With: High Court of Rajasthan suspended the ad hoc committee of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), a major hurdle in the governance of cricket in the state has been removed. The High Court appointed additional principal secretary of the state home department Bhaskar A Sawant as the sole administrator and directed him to conclude the long-delayed democratic elections within three months.The ad hoc setup has remained in place for more than two and a half years since the exit of former president Vaibhav Gehlot in February 2024. Despite seeing a revolving door of political convenors and several extensions, the temporary panel has completely failed in its core mandate of organizing elections.The immediate fall of the judicial reset is positive for the state’s gaming scene. A strong, constitutionally elected leadership will finally be able to continue work on the half-built premier Chonp association stadium project and address other long-pending issues. Over the years, local cricket development has been held hostage by exorbitant rental fees and disputes over access to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.Importantly, the HC order also strengthened the prospects of: Indian Premier League (IPL) continues in Jaipur. The relationship between RCA and the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) broke down in early 2024, when the sports council sealed the stadium and RCA headquarters with the expiry of their MoU and outstanding dues of approximately Rs 8 crore.With the RCA reduced to an unelected ad hoc committee, the apex cricket board (BCCI) made a unique, one-time arrangement allowing the sports council to facilitate the hosting of IPL matches in Jaipur for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. The: Rajasthan Royals coordinates match operations directly with the sports department under this special dispensation, although the BCCI generally prefers to deal with a duly elected member association. However, the BCCI has repeatedly made it clear that such a temporary fix cannot continue. IPL chairman Arun Singh Dhumal stated that IPL matches can only be held in Jaipur if the RCA conducts proper elections and installs a democratically elected body, besides ensuring that the venue meets IPL standards. The franchise also checks the readiness of the facility.By appointing a professional administrator with a clear mandate to conduct the election within three months, the HC directly responded to the BCCI’s critical condition. This significantly improves the possibility of the Royals continuing to play their home games in Jaipur without further administrative uncertainty.Confused questions: Questions are now being raised about the fate of the actions taken by the outgoing ad hoc panel, including the recent internal investigation initiated against Bharatpur DCA secretary Shatrudhan Tiwari over complaints of harassment by women players.People familiar with the matter said the new administrator may further investigate such cases if the affected players approach the RCA again.In addition, some players have expressed concern over whether their performances in the recently concluded Colvin Shield, which serves as an important selection criterion for the senior men’s team, will be taken into account by the upcoming selection body. They hope that their efforts will not be in vain.