In a last minute twist to the elections of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Supreme Court appointed observer T S Krishnamurthy allowed two votes from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and also ordered that Bihar could vote.
The orders were passed on Tuesday morning after Sharad Pawar group challenged yesterday's order of the observer allowing the votes from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, which had given an edge to the ruling Jagmohan Dalmiya group.
Yesterday's order had allowed the Dalmiya supported faction in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh to vote, while Bihar had been debarred from voting. As per today's order the rival faction in Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh as well as the Bihar representative can caste their vote.
But their votes will be kept in sealed envelopes and would be opened before the Supreme Court.
The ruling Dalmiya faction which was apparently trailing in the number game two days ago had got a shot in the arm with yesterday's order by the observer which not only allowed his supported faction in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand to vote, but also agreed for an additional vote to the incumbent president Ranbir Singh Mahendra as chairman of the meeting.
Incidentally, it was the chairman's vote and the additional casting vote in case of tie by the then president Jagmohan Dalmiya which had led to Pawar's defeat in last year's BCCI election.
The challenger group became active as soon as Pawar landed in the Kolkata on Monday night and they immediately challenged yesterday's order by the observer which resulted in this morning's order.
Meanwhile, hectic behind the scene activities by both the factions are still going on at the venue of the meeting to mobilise support to take control of the richest sports body in the country.
