Devajit Saikia replaces Jay Shah as BCCI Secretary, Prabtej Bhatia elected as Treasurer

Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Bhatia were elected unopposed as BCCI secretary and treasurer at the SGM, replacing Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar.

On Sunday, Devajit Saikia and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia were elected as the secretary and treasurer, respectively, at the BCCI Special General Meeting. They were unopposed, as no one else filed for the positions left vacant by Jay Shah and Ashish Shelar. Shah vacated his role after becoming the ICC chairman last month, and Shelar stepped down after becoming a cabinet minister in Maharashtra. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla confirmed the news of the new appointments on Sunday.

Background of the new officials

Saikia, who is from Assam, was already handling additional secretary duties since Shah’s new appointment on December 1. Previously, he was the joint secretary, leaving that position open. Bhatia is from Chhattisgarh.

Devajit Saikia’s timeline from cricketer to BCCI Sectretary

Early Career Highlights:

• 1990-1991: Devajit Saikia played as a wicket-keeper batter 4 Ranji Trophy matches.
• 2005 onwards: He steps into legal roles, representing the Assam Government in various roles.
• 2009-2011: Takes on the role of Additional Advocate General in Meghalaya, based on his legal expertise.
• 2011-2014: Continues his legal journey as Additional Advocate General of Assam.

Transition to Cricket Administration:

• 2016 onwards: Took role in cricket administration by joining the Assam Cricket Association.
• 2022-2024: Served as Joint Secretary for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and learned about cricket governance.

Rise to BCCI Secretary:

• December 2024: Appointed as interim secretary of the BCCI, stepping into the shoes of Jay Shah.
• January 2025: Appointed as BCCI secretary.

Election details

Electoral officer A K Joti announced that since no other candidates were there, no voting was needed for these two positions. Jay Shah was honored by the BCCI both on Saturday night and at the Special General Meeting (SGM). After the SGM, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla stated that the agenda was solely to elect the new treasurer and secretary. No other matters were discussed during the meeting.

Update on Women’sPremier League (WPL)

Shukla also attended the Women’s Premier League Committee meeting following the SGM. He mentioned that venues for the Women’s Premier League are nearly finalised and will be announced soon.