BENGALURU: In a blow to the established Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) management, the BCCI ombudsman has disqualified secretary Santosh Menon on the grounds that he has completed a cumulative tenure of nine years.Based on a complaint filed by Dolphin Cricketers, an institutional member of the KSCA, the ombudsman said that Menon, having completed his nine-year tenure, could not continue and the post was declared vacant.Justice Arun Mishra (rtd), ombudsman, in an order dated June 24, said Menon’s term ended on December 16, 2025, nine days after he assumed office following the December 7 elections.“Rules under the provision on cooling. Defendant no. 3 [Menon] has a total of 9 years of mandate as a member of the Board of Directors and as a post holder; he is disqualified under 6B(3)(g),” the ombudsman said in his order.Menon had been in office for nine years, including his term as a member of the management committee, and the order pointed out that the term he served as a member of the MC could not be excluded from the nine-year term.“Provisions 6A and 6(B)(2)(e) do not help in case a person holds different posts, then the period for all posts has to be cumulated as per Rule 6(B)(2)(g) of KSCA Rules. The same is stated in Rule 3(b)(i) of the BCCI statutes, that no ‘position’ can be held for more than 9 years.”“The office-bearer is also a member of the Board of Directors or the Apex Council. As such, it is clear that his tenure must be cumulated for holding the office of the Board of Directors as ‘office-bearer’ or as ‘member of the Board of Directors’, otherwise the whole purpose of the nine-year limit for BCCI and the state association would be diluted,” the order said.Justice Mishra further observed that Rule 41 of the KSCA Constitution relating to the tenure of office bearers does not constitute an embargo in this dispute.The Ombudsman therefore directed BCCI and KSCA to take further appropriate steps.Reacting to the order, KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad said in a statement that the association will seek legal remedy.“We have taken note of the BCCI Ombudsman’s order and are currently checking it in detail. Adequate legal advice is being sought to assess all remedies and options available under the law,” Prasad said.He also pointed to an earlier order by the KSCA ombudsman, who ruled that Menon met the conditions.“This is particularly so as the order dated February 5, 2026 passed by the Hon’ble KSCA Ombudsman, Justice (Retd.) AS Bopanna is binding on all members as per the KSCA bye-laws, but unfortunately the BCCI Ombudsman has taken a contrary view on the matter. The legal effect and interplay of the two orders is currently being examined,” Prasad added.
