Guwahati, Nov. 19: Gauhati High Court directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to file its affidavit by December 22, the next date of hearing, in connection with a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by former Assam Cricket Association (ACA) secretary Sahajananda Oja, alleging corruption and malpractice in the ACA.

The court of acting Chief Justice T. Vaiphei and Justice Monajit Bhuyan on Wednesday had taken note of the fact that the BCCI, a party in the PIL, was yet to respond to the court notice and asked it to file an affidavit on or before December 22, said Oja's counsel Devajit Saikia.

"The other parties in the case, including ACA secretary Bikash Baruah, has also been asked to file their respective affidavits in connection with the PIL by the same date," Saikia said, adding that it would not be mandatory in case of the other parties to do so by December 22.

The court also directed Assam police to issue photocopies of as many as 76 finance related files of the ACA to the state body to enable it file its income tax returns and apply for fresh financial grants from the BCCI.

According to an earlier order by the court, the police seized over 300 files from the ACA office. "The court, however, directed that the files be opened for photocopies only in the presence of Oja's representatives," the senior counsel said.

Sources said efforts were on for an out-of-court settlement between Baruah, who is on leave and a section of former cricketers and journalists who have filed police cases.

The sources added that ACA president Gautam Roy, who was a powerful minister in the Tarun Gogoi cabinet, was trying to forge a truce between the two parties so that the ACA could function properly by electing a new dispensation of office bearers.

The court had, however, rejected an earlier petition filed by the ACA to allow it hold its general meeting to elect a new body.

At present, the ACA is being run by the president himself and has divested administrative powers with joint secretary Sanatan Das.