Karnataka High Court directs KSCA not to announce list of candidates for polls

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday directed the electoral officer in charge of elections to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) not to announce the list of eligible candidates in respect of the post of president, including the withdrawal made by Kalpana Venkatachar, for the post of president.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj passed this order in a petition filed by K N Shanth Kumar, whose nomination for the post of president was rejected by the electoral officer Dr B Basavaraju.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj has also directed the electoral officer and KSCA to place before the court the video recording of the scrutiny proceedings and a time-stamped printout of the time when payment of arrears was made by Shanth Kumar.

The petitioner has sought a direction to quash the November 24, 2025, order passed by the electoral officer rejecting his nomination on the ground of ‘pending arrears’.

The petitioner further sought directions to declare him as a valid candidate to contest the elections and directions to the electoral officer to carry on the poll process in terms of the calendar of events.

During the hearing, senior advocate S S Naganand, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the application filed by Shanth Kumar was rejected on the ground that the institution membership of Deccan Herald and Prajavani Sports Club was in arrears of Rs 200.

He argued that the payment was made on the morning of November 24, well before the scrutiny proceedings. It was submitted that the regulation contemplates that candidature could not be allowed as long as there are arrears.

“When the application was taken up for scrutiny, the arrears had already been paid. The electoral officer was informed about the payment; however, it was ignored,” Naganand said.

Senior advocate Prabhuling Navadgi, appearing for B K Venkatesh Prasad, submitted that though the petitioner claims to have submitted during the scrutiny of having paid the arrears, the order passed by the electoral officer does not record it.

He further argued that a writ petition calling into question an order passed by the electoral officer is not maintainable. 

The court directed the matter to be posted on Thursday morning.

“There are two simple facts required to be ascertained, namely, whether the institution member, namely, Deccan Herald and Prajavani Sports Club, has made the payment of arrears prior to scrutiny being complete and rejection of the nomination of the petitioner and whether the same has been brought to the notice of the electoral officer.

For these limited purposes, respondent 1 or respondent 2 (electoral officer and KSCA), who are in custody of the video recording of the scrutiny proceedings and a time-stamped printout of the time when payment was made, are directed to be produced,” Justice Suraj Govindaraj said.