Asks Court-appointed SMC to enforce judicial directions and confine HCA operations to Hyderabad
Our Correspondent
Hyderabad: The Telangana Cricket Association (TCA) on Tuesday called upon the Court-appointed Single Member Committee (SMC) to restore constitutional governance in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), enforce accountability and put an end to what it described as an alarming culture of arbitrary extensions, financial irregularities and administrative manipulation. It also urged the SMC to strictly adhere to judicial directions by restricting HCA’s jurisdiction to Hyderabad city and recognising the legitimate role of TCA in developing cricket across the remaining districts of Telangana.
In a strongly worded statement, TCA General Secretary D. Guruva Reddy questioned the very credibility of the existing arrangement, asking how the SMC could preside over an Apex Council whose President and Joint Secretary had themselves challenged his appointment before the High Court, while simultaneously expecting the same council to participate in the next electoral exercise.
“Isn’t this a classic case of the accused being allowed to help design the rules of accountability? How can a deeply divided council, with its own members questioning the authority of the SMC, inspire confidence in a fair electoral process?” he asked, seeking clarity on the conflicting positions within the HCA administration.
TCA flagged the following serious concerns:
- Resurrection of an Expired Apex Council
TCA maintains that the three-year tenure of the HCA Apex Council expired on October 20, 2026, in accordance with the Lodha reforms approved by the Supreme Court. Its office-bearers, therefore, could no longer claim independent executive authority after the expiry of their statutory tenure.
It questioned the October 29 order granting the existing council interim continuation in a disposed writ petition (W.P. No. 21904/2025), nine days after the expiry of its tenure. TCA, along with affected member clubs, has challenged the April 24, 2026 order before the High Court Division Bench, raising questions of due process, statutory authority and compliance with the association’s bye-laws.
- TG20 League: A Financial Free-for-All?
TCA alleged that the TG20 League had generated an expenditure liability exceeding ₹52 crore without appropriate General Body approval, with spending reportedly running at nearly ₹2 crore a day.
It cited alleged expenditure of over ₹3 crore on hospitality and liquor and more than ₹10 crore on marketing, questioning why competitive, lower-cost bids were ignored. TCA demanded an immediate examination of the league’s accounts, freezing of unauthorised operational transactions and a court-monitored forensic audit. Cricket administration, it observed, cannot become a convenient excuse for financial extravagance.
- Conflict of Interest in Investigation
TCA also questioned the perceived conflict of interest surrounding the proposed SIT investigation, pointing to the prominent playing role of a close family member of a senior police functionary in the Hyderabad team. It said the issue warranted independent scrutiny and transparency to uphold the principles of natural justice.
TCA urged the authorities to consider an independent, court-monitored investigation by an appropriate agency such as the CBI, ED or SFIO, recalling the recommendation made by the BCCI representative in his 2017 report.
- District Cricket Cannot Remain a Paper Exercise
TCA accused the HCA of pursuing a city-centric model for nearly three decades, with district-named clubs allegedly operating out of Hyderabad rather than developing genuine cricketing infrastructure in their respective districts.
Invoking the Supreme Court’s December 9, 2020 directions and subsequent High Court proceedings, TCA asserted its legitimate claim to develop and administer cricket across Telangana outside Hyderabad. It demanded that HCA confine its activities to city limits and that district-named clubs undergo scrutiny, either functioning as genuine city entities or transitioning into an appropriate district cricket structure under TCA.
- Member Clubs and Democratic Representation Ignored
TCA alleged that submissions from 106 affiliated member clubs, representing a clear voting majority, along with representations from former international cricketers Shivlal Yadav and Arshad Ayub, had not received due consideration. It also criticised repeated litigation that allegedly obstructed independent statutory forums, including the BCCI Ombudsman, from addressing legitimate grievances.
Call for Immediate Corrective Action
Reaffirming its commitment to grassroots cricket and opportunities for young players across Telangana, TCA urged the SMC and judicial authorities to:
- Convene an immediate and transparent Annual General Meeting.
- Appoint an independent Election Officer in accordance with the 2016 BCCI reforms and Supreme Court mandate.
- Ensure fair, transparent and unbiased age-group selections.
- Recognise TCA’s role in administering and developing district cricket outside Hyderabad.
“Cricket belongs to its players and its stakeholders, not to a handful of administrators treating institutions as personal fiefdoms. Telangana’s young cricketers cannot continue paying the price for administrative turf wars, questionable financial decisions and institutional paralysis. Courts appoint committees to restore order, not to perpetuate the disorder they are expected to correct,” Guruva Reddy asserted.
