Jaipur: With the Rajasthan High Court by suspending the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) ad hoc committee, a major hurdle in state cricket governance has been removed. The High Court has appointed additional chief secretary in the state home department Bhaskar A Sawant as the sole administrator and directed him to complete the long-awaited democratic elections within three months.The ad hoc configuration had been 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 conventions and several extensions, the temporary panel has completely failed in its core mandate of organizing the elections.The immediate fall of the judicial reset is positive for the sports landscape of the state. A stabilized, constitutionally elected leadership will finally be able to resume work on the half-built Chonp first stage association project and address other long pending issues. For years, the development of local cricket has been held hostage by exorbitant rental fees and disputes over access to the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.Crucially, the HC order also strengthens the prospects of the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues in Jaipur. The relationship between RCA and Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) had broken down in early 2024 when the sports council sealed the stadium and headquarters of RCA on expiry of its MoU and outstanding dues of around Rs 8 crore.With the RCA reduced to an unelected ad hoc committee, the apex cricket board (BCCI) has struck an unprecedented deal, once allowing the sports council to facilitate the hosting of IPL matches in Jaipur for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Rajasthan Royals match operation coordinated 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 temporary fixes cannot continue. IPL president Arun Singh Dhumal has stated that IPL matches can be held in Jaipur only if the RCA conducts proper elections and puts in place a democratically elected body, besides ensuring that the venue meets IPL standards. The franchise also assessed the readiness of the facility.By appointing a professional administrator with a clear mandate to hold elections within three months, the HC directly addressed the BCCI’s key precondition. This significantly improves the likelihood that the Royals will continue to play their home matches in Jaipur without further administrative uncertainty.Persistent questions: Questions are now being raised about the fate of the actions taken by the outgoing ad hoc panel, including the recent internal inquiry initiated against Bharatpur DCA secretary Shatrudhan Tiwari over complaints of harassment by women players.People familiar with the matter say the new administrator may also look into 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 a key selection criteria for the senior men’s team, will be considered by the future elected body. They hope that their efforts will not go in vain.