HCA election process under scrutiny amid voter list and legal concerns

Concerns have been raised over the conduct of elections for the posts of secretary and treasurer in the Hyderabad Cricket Association, with stakeholders questioning voter list preparation, adherence to court directions and transparency amid ongoing litigation and administrative scrutiny

Hyderabad: Concerns have surfaced over the conduct of elections for the posts of Secretary and Treasurer in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), with stakeholders questioning the transparency of the process, legality of procedures and adherence to court directions.

The association had initially scheduled the elections for March 12, 2026, but later postponed them to March 15. Sources said the election process, including preparation of the voter list, was allegedly carried out without the approval or supervision of the Administrator, Justice P Naveen Rao (Retd).

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Justice Naveen Rao was appointed as Administrator following the orders of the Telangana High Court on July 25, 2025 in Writ Petition No. 21904 of 2025 to oversee the functioning of the association, on the lines of the earlier single-member committee headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao (Retd).

Observers noted that before the HCA elections held on October 20, 2023, Justice L Nageswara Rao (Retd) had conducted a detailed verification exercise to determine eligible member associations and grant voting rights.

However, no such verification process is said to have been carried out in the present election cycle. Allegations have surfaced that the process is being overseen by HCA president Amarnath and election officer V S Sampath Kumar, who are reportedly deciding voter eligibility without wider consultation or administrative oversight.

Several member clubs have also submitted grievance petitions to the HCA president and chief executive officer, raising objections to the voter list and election procedures. According to sources, these grievances remain unresolved, raising further concerns about the fairness of the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the current administrative situation within the HCA is also under judicial scrutiny. Earlier complaints were raised against former office-bearers, including then president Jaganmohan Rao, secretary R Devraj and treasurer C J Srinivas Rao.

The Ombudsman had ruled only on the president’s position and declared Amarnath, the runner-up, as HCA president. However, the decision has been challenged before the Telangana High Court in W P No. 4428 of 2026 and W P No. 4936 of 2026, and the matter is currently sub judice.

Despite the pending litigation, the association has proceeded with the election process for the posts of secretary and treasurer, which has drawn criticism from some stakeholders.

Separately, allegations have also been raised regarding financial decisions taken by the present administration. It has been claimed that soon after assuming office, the HCA president cleared payments of around Rs 68 crore to Visaka Industries Ltd., a company owned by G Vivekanand, a Telangana Cabinet Minister and former HCA president.

These developments have triggered calls from members of the cricketing fraternity for greater transparency, adherence to court directions and independent oversight in the conduct of HCA elections.