Venkatesh Prasad appointed unopposed as KSCA President before election

Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad is the new President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) after being elected unopposed. The development took place even before the scheduled elections on December 7, following the rejection and withdrawal of rival nominations. Prasad’s return records a huge moment for KSCA administration, coming 12 years after he last held office as the association’s vice-president.

The Karnataka High Court had recently stepped in to resolve internal disputes within

the KSCA, directing that elections for the post of president be held on December 7. The court also instructed that the election process be carried out strictly according to the association’s bye-laws and the Supreme Court’s guidelines. In line with these directives, the nomination scrutiny was conducted on November 24.

Initially, two contenders, Prasad and K.N. Shanth Kumar, had filed nominations for the president’s post. Shanth Kumar, representing the 'Team Brijesh' faction, is a senior figure in Karnataka cricket administration and the president of the DH and PV Sports Club. However, during scrutiny, his nomination papers were declared invalid for defaulting on the club’s annual subscription for four years, a violation of KSCA’s rules. This disqualification left Prasad as the only eligible candidate.

Prasad previously served as KSCA vice-president from 2010 to 2013

Other nominations across positions were also impacted. Members from Prasad’s own faction, including Dr. Srikanth Rai and Mruthyunjaya, saw their papers invalidated due to unpaid dues and the absence of affidavits. Meanwhile, Kalpana Venkatachar, considered a major potential challenger, withdrew her nomination voluntarily, citing respect for Prasad.

Electoral Officer Dr. B. Basavaraju (IAS Retd.) finalised the list of candidates at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in accordance with High Court instructions. The process confirmed that the presidential contest had effectively concluded before polling day.

Prasad, who previously served as KSCA vice-president from 2010 to 2013 under president Anil Kumble and secretary Javagal Srinath, is thus returning to cricket administration after a 12-year break. He takes up the role at a time when KSCA leadership has been under question for issues including administrative disputes, delayed elections, and the fallout of the stampede incident at the Chinnaswamy Stadium earlier this year. During a recent press interaction, Prasad criticised the previous regime, K. Brijesh Patel’s faction, for mismanagement and inadequate attention to cricketing development despite financial stability.