Executive members of 57 clubs registered with HCA barred from contesting elections

Decision of Supreme Court appointed judge to bar executive members from elections has understandably kickedup a row among the HCA registered club office bearers

Hyderabad: The Supreme Court appointed judge to run the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has taken a crucial decision to disallow the executive members of 57 clubs registered with the association from contesting elections to the upcoming Apex Council or casting their vote in polls for election to post of the office bearers of the HCA.

The decision of retired SC judge Justice L Nageshwara Rao has understandably kickedup a row among the HCA registered club office bearers. The ban applies for one term of HCA executive or for a period of three years.

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It is an open secret that multiple clubs registered with the HCA are controlled by a few individuals or by their relatives and proxies, thereby affecting the fair play and good governance, leading to conflict of interest.

Justice Nageswara Rao said that after meeting with current and past members of Apex Council, secretaries of member clubs and others interested in good governance of the association, he issued notices to all 206 clubs seeking information regarding the ownership and other details. Upon a detailed scrutiny, he asked 80 clubs to submit further details about the management of the clubs to find out whether a person/family members are in control or have connection with more than one club.

Referring to the multiple membership of clubs that leads to players, matches or tournaments being exposed to possible corruption through match manipulation, he decided to bar their executive members.

The eight clubs belong to Agarwal family which includes names like Dharam Chand, Purushottam, Prakash Chand, Vijay Kumar, Anand Kumar, Gopal Chand and others. These family members run clubs like Hyderabad Titans Cricket Club, Vijay Anand Cricket Club, Victoria Cricket Club, Hyderabad Patriots Cricket Club, Hyderabad Panthers Cricket Club, Secunderabad Gymkhana Cricket Club, Mayura Cricket Club and Agarwal Seniors. In addition to these, family members of cricketer Arshad Ayub operate these clubs including Ensconce Cricket Club, Hyderabad Wanderers, Green Turf. These are only some of the noted clubs in the contention.

However, Justice Nageswara Rao said that these clubs can field the teams in HCA matches provided they change their executive committee immediately in order to resolve any existing or potential conflict of interest.