The nomination papers of former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin for the post of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president has been rejected. The rejection came in the wake of Azhar's failure to give proof over removal of his BCCI ban and if he was a valid voter or not. Disappointed to see his nomination being rejected, Azharuddin insisted that he has been cleared by the court of all charges, while adding that he would now challenge the disqualification.
Commenting on the rejection, Azharuddin said, "it is unfortunate. The returning officer should answer my questions, but he is not present here. I will go for a legal case. I think the Lodha Committee rules and orders are not followed here at the HCA," he added.
Meanwhile, former HCA secretary, John Manoj, said the rejection was not as per procedure, adding that Test players get membership of an association automatically. Last week, Azharuddin took the first step towards cricket administration by deciding to contest the HCA elections this year. The 53-year-old, who played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs for India, was banned for life by the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) for his alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal in 2000. However, his ban was lifted in 2012.
