0
0
Is everything fair with the election process of the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA)? The elections for the six posts – five office-bearers and a councillor – of the Apex Council is to be held on August 16 but it is going to be a unanimous affair as only one nomination has been filed for each post. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is August 11 and the final list of candidates will be announced on August 13.
The contention against the elections is that several norms have been violated. “The elections have to be held at an AGM. We already had an AGM (72nd AGM) on June 8 this year and how can another AGM – being called ‘Election’ AGM by the ACA officials – be held in August. This is a clear violation of rules,” MSPV Ramana Murthy, president of Guntur District Cricket Association, told CricBlogger.
“There is an elaborate procedure that needs to be followed which the ACA is not following,” said a former Ranji Trophy player.
“The office-bearers of the ACA shall be elected by the full members of the ACA from amongst their representatives at an Annual General Meeting,” says the ACA Constitution.
It also says, “The Annual General Meeting of the General Body shall be held every year, not later than 30th September at such a place and time as the President may fix.”
“Actions and nominations to the Apex Council shall take place every three years at the Annual General Meeting,” the bylaws state.
“The ACA officials seem to have forgotten that this is an election year and held the AGM in June to get some of their decisions ratified. Only later they realised their mistake and have called for another AGM – a move which is illegal. We cannot have an ‘Election’ AGM. It is utter nonsense,” Murthy, a former First-Class cricketer and who has been associated with the ACA in several capacities including joint secretary, said.
Murthy is planning to contest the legality of the elections in the court.
The ACA electoral college consists of 34 members – 13 district associations, 18 clubs and 3 international players. “Each district and club has got one vote and should nominate one member for the AGM. But surprisingly nomination for two posts was filed from one club – New Cricket Club, Guntur, and that is a big fraud being played on the ACA,” said Murthy.
According to the schedule released by Electoral Officer (EO) N Ramesh Kumar, the full members had to send the name of their representative by July 18. The draft rolls to be released on July 21 and any objections to be raised by July 25. The final electoral roll to be released on July 30. The date for filing of nominations was August 3.
On August 3, two nominations were filed from New CC for two different posts. One by its secretary B Sreenivasa Raju for joint secretary and another by Bandaru Narasimha Rao, whose name didn’t figure in the final electoral roll released on July 30, for the vice-president’s post.
After scrutiny, the EO rejected the nomination of Raju for the post of joint secretary and thereby nullified the necessity of a contest. “After careful scrutiny of the above mentioned Nomination Form and accompanying Affidavit, it is hereby informed that the said nomination has been rejected as invalid on the ground of the submission of an improper/incorrect Nomination Form (Form pertaining to Election of September 2024 was filed by Sreenivasa Raju),” says the communication issued by Ramesh Kumar on August 7.
“In rejecting the nomination, the EO has not said that two nominations were received from the same club. He just said it was rejected for submission of incorrect form. However, there is no change in the form used for the last election. Which implies that the rejection was for other reasons,” Murthy said.
According to the final electoral roll released on July 30, Raju was the official representative of the club but it is learnt that the EO on August 3 released another electoral roll which had the name of Narasimha Rao as the representative of New CC.
“Even if any full member wanted to change its representative, it had to be done by July 25. After that there is no provision to make changes in the electoral rolls,” said Murthy. “But the EO released another ‘final’ Electoral Roll on August 3 – the day of filing nominations – which had the name of Narasimha Rao as representative of New CC. The EO states the change was made pursuant to the representation received by the club’s president and secretary on August 1,” he added.
“What is baffling is that Raju – as secretary of New CC – had given a letter on August 1 to the EO saying that Narasimha Rao will be the representative in his place at the AGM and then on August 3 files his nomination for joint secretary when he is not going to attend the AGM. Who is bluffing? Why did the EO make the change four days after releasing the final electoral roll?” asked Murthy.
To cover up their misdeeds, the ACA officials are threatening and filing cases against the dissidents. “Cases have been filed against me and several others are being threatened but I am not going to be cowed down,” he added.
Nomination list: president Kesineni Sivanath, vice-president Bandaru Narasimha Rao, secretary Sana Sathish Babu, joint secretary B Vijaya Kumar, treasurer Dandamudi Srinivas, councillor Dantu Gour Vishnu Tej.
Nice story!