BENGALURU: In a blow to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) administration, the BCCI ombudsman has disqualified general secretary Santosh Menon from office on the grounds that he had completed nine cumulative years of tenure.Based on a complaint filed by KSCA body member Dolphin Cricketers, the ombudsman said Menon had completed his nine-year term and was unable to continue in office and the post had been declared vacant.Menon’s tenure ends on December 16, 2025, nine days after he assumed office following the December 7 elections, Ombudsman Justice Arun Mishra (RTD) said in his June 24 order.“Rules under the cooling-off period clause. Respondent No. 3 [Menon] Having completed nine years of cumulative tenure as a member of the Management Committee and as a public servant; he is disqualified u/s 6B(3)(g),” the Ombudsman said in the order.Menon has served for nine years, including tenure as a member of the managing committee, and the order states that tenure as a member of the MC cannot be excluded from the nine-year term.“If a person holds different positions, the provisions of Rules 6A and 6(B)(2)(e) do not solve the problem, then the tenure of all the positions must be accumulated as per Rule 6(B)(2)(g) of the KSCA Rules. The same provision is also found in Rule 3(b)(i) of the BCCI Constitution, which states that the tenure of any “position” shall not exceed 9 years.“The office bearer is also a member of the Governing Council or the Supreme Council. Therefore, it is obvious that his tenure must be cumulative to serve as ‘Office Head’ or ‘Member of the Governing Council’ of the Governing Council, otherwise the entire purpose of the nine-year cap respectively for the BCCI and the state association would be diluted,” the order stated.Justice Mishra further observed that Article 41 of the KSCA constitution regarding tenure of office does not constitute an embargo in the present dispute.The Ombudsman then directed the 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 recourse.“We have taken note of the order passed by the BCCI Ombudsman and are currently reviewing it in detail. Appropriate 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, which ruled that Menon was eligible.“This has been especially the case since the order passed by KSCA Ombudsman Justice AS Bopanna on February 5, 2026, which was binding on all members as per the KSCA bye-laws, but unfortunately the BCCI Ombudsman has taken a contrary view on the issue. The legal effect and interplay of both the orders are currently being reviewed,” Prasad added. Prasad added.
