Kolkata:In a last minute twist to the highly contentious BCCI election the court appointed Observer T S Krishnamurthy allowed two votes from Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and also ordered that Bihar can vote.

These orders were passed this morning after Sharad Pawar group challenged yesterday's order of the Observer allowing the votes from UP, HP and Jharkhand, which had given an edge to the ruling Jagmohan Dalmiya group.

Yesterday's order had allowed the Dalmimya supported faction in UP and HP to vote while Bihar had been debarred from voting. As per today's order the rival faction in UP and HP as well as the Bihar representative can caste their vote in today's election.

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 UP, HP and Jharkhand to vote but also allowed 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 Sharad Pawar landed in the city late last 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 were still going on at the meeting's venue at a five star hotel to mobilise support to take control of the richest sports body in the country.

Tags: bcci election, t s krishnamurthy, vote, order, observer, jagmohan dalmiya, group, rival faction, up, hp, bihar representative, supreme court.