The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice of motion to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) on a petition challenging former Ranji player Rakesh Handa’s life membership termination. In his petition placed before Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya, Handa contended that his membership was suspended and subsequently terminated without affording him an opportunity of hearing.Among other things, it was contended that the petitioner filed a complaint against the financial irregularities in PCA, which was dismissed by the Ombudsman vide order dated March 10 on the ground that his membership of the association had already been terminated. It was held that the complaint could not be maintained without him being a member.The Bench was also told that reason behind his membership’s suspension was simultaneous membership of another cricket association. The order also recorded that suspension had been confirmed by the Apex Council meeting held on December 29, 2025.A reference was also made to the council’s action taken report dated September 12, 2025, whereby it was unanimously resolved to suspend the petitioner’s life membership of PCA with immediate effect, and to forward the same to the Ombudsman-cum-Ethics Officer with request to initiate legal and disciplinary proceedings including termination of his life membership.The Ombudsman vide order dated May 4 returned the matter to the authority concerned to proceed in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations. Thereupon, the petitioner vide email dated May 15 sought copies of the orders whereby his membership had been suspended, along with minutes of the meeting whereby his suspension had purportedly been confirmed, as he had not been provided any opportunity of hearing before passing those orders.“Instead of furnishing the requisite documents to the petitioner, his membership was finally terminated vide order dated May 21 by the Apex Council again without affording any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner. Therefore, the order per se is illegal and unsustainable. Besides, there is no bar to be a member of two cricket associations at the same time,” it was added. The case will now come up for further hearing on September 18.