HCA wrangling continues: Secretary names OSD to Ombudsman, Azhar says it’s illegal | Cricket News – Times of India

Mohd Azharuddin. (TOI Photo)

HYDERABAD: The administrative tug of war in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) continues. In a contentious move, secretary R Vijayanand, on Thursday morning named M Narayana as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to ombudsman Justice (retd) Nisar Ahmed Kukur and ethics officer Justice (retd) T Meena Kumar. President Mohd Azharuddin called the appointment ‘illegal and in serious violation of the rules and procedures laid down by the Lodha reforms and approved by the Supreme Court‘.
“He (Narayana) will be available during office hours and all complaints will be received by him and the same will be referred to the Ombudsman and Ethics Officer depending on the case,” reads a communication from the secretary to the HCA members.
The appointment of ombudsman and ethics officer has been a bone of contention with two groups naming different judges for the position. Recently, it was stated in the Ranga Reddy court that “the Ombudsman and the Ethics Officers hadn’t taken charge.”
HCA has also sought a clarification of the high court judgment by filing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme court, which is pending for listing. “When the officials haven’t still taken charge, what was the necessity of appointing an OSD for them,” questioned a club secretary.
Hitting out the secretary, Azharuddin gave three reasons why the appointment was not according to the rule book.
1. Under rule 19 (2) & rule 24 (13), the power to lay guidelines and manage day to day affairs of the association is the function of the CEO. The secretary cannot assume the powers of the CEO and therefore the order is in violation of the rules.
2. The AGM convened on April 11 ratified the appointment of Justice (retd) Deepak Verma as Ombudsman as required under Rule 8(3)(f). Any other name that is being projected as the Ombudsman is illegal and contrary to rules.
3. Five members of the Apex Council, including the secretary, are facing an inquiry by the Ombudsman under Rule 41 (1) (b) of the HCA constitution.
“I have been fighting a battle since the last 18 months to prevent illegality in the functioning of the HCA as I believe it is my responsibility to restore a clean administration in the body. The clean-up should start from within and from the top of the structure and to do this I need the support of each of my fellow brothers. I request you all to ignore the illegal communication of the secretary,” Azharuddin wrote to the club secretaries.