Bhubaneswar, Sept. 18 -- The Odisha Cricket Association has told the Orissa High Court that it cannot deviate from the Board of Control for Cricket in India's rules as doing so could jeopardise its membership and grants, while defending its decision to defer elections to key office-bearer posts.

The submission was made in a counter affidavit filed by OCA president Pankaj Lochan Mohanty in response to a writ petition by Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, who has sought directions to the association to declare and conduct elections for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer within a stipulated timeframe under Chapter II, Rule 6 of the OCA Rules.

Mohanty submitted that the OCA is a full member of the BCC...