It's high time current KSCA committee announces dates for election: Venkatesh Prasad

Bengaluru: Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad on Monday urged Karnataka State Cricket Association's incumbent administrators to conduct election rather than clinging on to peripheral clauses in the by-law to delay the proceedings.

Prasad along with seasoned administrator Vinay Mruthyunjaya and former Indian women's cricket team captain Shanta Rangaswamy said election should be initiated at the earliest to avoid the prevailing state of chaos in the association.

"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," said Prasad here during a select media gathering.

"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," he added.

The tenure of the current regime headed by BCCI treasurer Raghuram Bhatt was ended on September 30, but a definite date for election is yet to be announced, though the speculation was that the polls would be conducted either in October or November.

The KSCA secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam had resigned taking the moral responsibility for the stampede near Chinnaswamy Stadium following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory in the IPL 2025.

In the tragic turn of events, 11 fans were killed and several others left injured.

"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," said Mruthyunjaya.

Prasad, who will be contesting in the elections, said the whole episode has tarnished the image of KSCA in cricketing circles.

"I think it's important for us to put more pressure on them to say that, you know, they need to call for elections. It's high time and it's important.

"You know, at one stage, KSCA was looked up to by all the associations. 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," said Prasad.

Prasad and Mruthyunjaya said it is a silly act by the current set of administrators to raise the nine-year-clause in their attempt to reject the nominations of some of the contestants in their panel.

"I am given to understand that the managing committee (which is responsible to call for election) is trying to misinterpret the bylaws to disqualify a few eligible, able administrators through the nine-year rule. But that didn't apply to a lot of them (the present committee)." The KSCA by-law says that an administrator may be able to serve for a period of nine years in the BCCI and nine years in the state association, as they are deemed mutually exclusive.

"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 there even for the BCCI," said Mruthyunjaya.

"So in my opinion, there is nothing which has adversely affected the current by-laws which have been registered because there has 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?," he added.