Hyderabad: One year after being elected by voters, former cricketer Ajmal Asad is finally Joint Secretary of the Hyderabad Cricket Association after Justice B. Siva Sankara Rao of the Hyderabad High Court dismissed the writ petition filed by Vanka Prathap whom Ajmal had beaten 124-80 at the HCA elections held on January 17, 2017.
Prathap had filed a writ to say his nomination was illegally rejected by the Returning Officer and therefore he should be allowed to contest the elections.
The court gave him permission to contest but said the result of the election (for the joint secretary’s post) should not be declared pending disposal of the case. Legal battles meant results to other posts too were declared late, after two-and-a-half months, on March 31 last year.
He may have lost one full year (of a three-year term) to the court fight but Ajmal is looking ahead as he prepares to assume charge on Friday, “after prayers.”
“We have to prepare for the new season that starts in June. Once the IPL matches get over, we will get down to it and work towards completion of all matches across different divisions,” the Joint Secretary, whose is responsible for the conduct of domestic league as per the HCA constitution, told this paper on Thursday.
Matches in the current season are yet to be completed, thanks to infighting in the HCA that has resulted in the secretary and president being in and out of their seats. The HCA still does not have a full set in place with the Treasurer having resigned recently.
