Bharath Ramaraj in Bengaluru
Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, on Monday, asked the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to announce election dates rather than pointing out clauses in order to defer it. Vinay Mruthyunjaya, administrator, and Shanta Rangaswamy, former India captain, also urged the state body to conduct the proceedings.
The KSCA secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam had stepped down from their respective positions following the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 this year. The celebrations held to commemorate RCB’s title triumph turned ghastly as 11 fans were killed and many others were injured.
“The whole point is about the elections,” Prasad said at a select media gathering. “We have all been waiting for the announcement (of the election) to happen. It was supposed to happen long back, and by this time a new committee should have taken over the running of the association.
“So, obviously, you know, it (election) was supposed to be held before 30th of September according to rule and the KSCA by-law. So, I think it’s high time the people who are running the show now at KSCA should call for an election.”
On his part, Mruthyunjaya noted, “There is no secretary, no president as he has gone to BCCI, no treasurer or even vice-president for that matter. So, it’s high time they announce the dates for the elections. In fact, there is a rule which specifies that vacancies have to be filled within 45 days.
“It has not happened either. It has been five months since they resigned. He (president) is not in position for the last 30 days now. The cricket season has started. We don’t know who is running (the association), who is passing the bills because they don’t have any authority, if I can say that.”
Prasad, who released his election manifesto for the elections in August this year, observed that KSCA had become a laughing stock in the cricketing circles. “You know, at one stage, KSCA was looked up to by all the associations,” he said. “But now, we are seen as, you know, and they are laughing at it. Even the Women’s World Cup matches were taken away from us. As a cricketer, it hurts me.”
Prasad and Mruthyunjaya also pointed out that it is not right on the part of the KSCA to bring up the nine-year clause in order to decline the nominations of certain candidates. “I am given to understand that the managing committee (which is responsible to call for elections) is trying to misinterpret the bylaws to disqualify a few eligible, able administrators through the nine-year rule,” said Prasad. “But that didn’t apply to a lot of them (the present committee).
“Yes, there was a restriction after nine years as per Lodha Committee’s original recommendation. But subsequently on 20th September 2019, the Supreme Court came up with an order, telling that nine-year rule will not be applicable to somebody who has completed nine years in a managing committee (of a state association). This benefit is only for state associations, and not even for the BCCI.
“So, in my opinion, there is nothing which has adversely affected the current by-laws which have been registered because there have been no further orders (by the SC). They have even conducted an election for the vice-president (K Sriram) who has completed nine years. So, how can there be a new interpretation now?”