The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has earned the ignominious label of the "stampede committee," according to KSCA veteran Vinay Mrityunjaya, who lashed out at the current administration over moral lapses, alleged bylaw manipulation, and ethical failures.

The comments come in the backdrop of the KSCA election scheduled for November 30, adding a political resonance to the ongoing KSCA controversies. Mrutunjaya is contesting one of the posts in KSCA.

The term refers to the committee's handling of a tragic stampede during a KSCA event in June, in which preliminary investigations and FIRs have held the administrative committee responsible. Several members resigned citing moral responsibility, yet are now seeking office again, raising questions about governance and accountability.

The controversy over KSCA's bylaws has further compounded the crisis. In 2022, the association registered amendments explicitly allowing members who had completed nine years on the managing committee to contest office-bearer positions.

Senior advocates A. Shankar and former cricketer Raghuram Bhat, who had completed over nine years, were elected Secretary and President in the November 2022 elections, with their nominations upheld by the electoral officer.

Yet in May 2025, during elections for the vacant Vice-President post, a legal advisory panel issued an opinion barring nine-year members from contesting—contradicting the registered bylaws. Candidates were then asked to submit affidavits declaring they had not served more than nine years, a requirement not present in the bylaws.

"This is illegal, immoral, and unethical," Mrityunjaya said. "The committee is attempting to tweak the law after opposition candidates have announced their candidacy to weaken them. They are misusing legal interpretations for political advantage."

He highlighted that all 29 state cricket associations allow office-bearers to contest elections after completing nine years, and accused KSCA's leadership of trying to mislead courts and manipulate rules to their benefit.

Mrityunjaya also criticised the committee's focus on finances over cricket development. KSCA received over 115 crores from the BCCI last year, yet much of it remains in fixed deposits rather than being invested in infrastructure or player programs.

"A retired IAS officer can manage finances. What matters is practical investment in cricket, not boasting about deposits," he said.

He further condemned members recontesting elections after the stampede resignations, calling it "absolutely immoral" and a violation of ethical standards. Mrityunjaya reaffirmed his commitment to legal action to prevent the reinterpretation of bylaws, emphasising that justice may be delayed but cannot be denied.

With elections looming, KSCA faces a crisis of governance, morality, and public trust. The "stampede committee" moniker now symbolises both administrative failure and ongoing disputes over the interpretation of laws, ethics, and the future direction of cricket in Karnataka.