Former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad elected unopposed as president of KSCA before election

Dubai: Venkatesh Prasad has been elected unopposed as the new president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). The Karnataka High Court had earlier directed that the presidential election be conducted on December 7, with December 26 set as the final date for withdrawal of nominations.

Initially, two candidates — Prasad and K N Shanth Kumar — had filed their nominations. Shanth Kumar, a senior figure in Karnataka cricket administration and the president of the DH and PV Sports Club, was representing the “Team Brijesh” faction. However, during the scrutiny of nominations on Monday, his application was declared invalid, clearing the way for the former Indian cricketer to be elected without opposition.

The High Court bench, led by Justice Suraj Govindaraj, issued the election directive while hearing a petition filed by KSCA member B.K. Ravi, who had challenged the Returning Officer’s decision to postpone the polls to December 30. The court ruled that the elections must follow the existing by-laws and the Supreme Court’s guidelines.

Prasad’s victory marks his return to the KSCA after 12 years. He previously served as the association’s vice-president from 2010 to 2013, when Anil Kumble was president and Javagal Srinath served as secretary.

An official announcement of his unopposed election is expected on November 26.