The impasse over the renewal of licence of Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) has put a question mark on the winter racing season, the longest and most important one for the club. This has left the stakeholders, including horse owners, workers and the staff, anxious even as an extraordinary general body meeting is expected to be called in the first week of November.
- 1905: First reports of racing in Bangalore
- 1920: A race club was started under the aegis of Royal Calcutta Turf Club
- 1954: The Mysore government set up a committee to inquire into the affairs of the club after complaints about misconduct. The club also agreed to have government nominees on the committee
- 1962: Bangalore Race Club incorporated under the Companies Act of 1950
- 1969: Bangalore Turf Club was recognised as a Turf Authority
- 1977: The State government registered the Karnataka Turf Club under the Societies Registration Act to conduct racing in Bangalore and Mysore. The then Finance Minister M.Y. Ghorpade had also raised the issue of broadbasing membership in BTC
- 1978: BTC decided to enhance the number of members from 250 to 350
- 1986: Three-member Karnataka Racing Commission under the chairmanship of Lt.Gen. K.P. Candeth set up by the government to suggest measures for healthy and proper conduct of racing. Retired IAS officer R.V. Subramanian and Supreme Court lawyer R.J. Kolah were members
- 1987: The commission recommends setting up of the Karnataka State Racing Board and divesting BTC and Mysore Race Club of all responsibilities for conduct of racing
- Source: Report of Karnataka Racing Commission
During any regular racing year, October second week would see preparations for the nearly 6-month-long winter racing season at the BTC. August to October is the racing season in Mysuru and an off-season for racing at BTC.
“By now, the dates for classic races, including Bangalore Derby, would have been announced. Now, prospectus has not been issued yet,” a BTC member confirmed to The Hindu . Cancellation would hurt the club finances badly, he added.
On an average, the BTC has two racing days a week during the winter season between November and March, which sometimes extend till April. A substantial part of the club’s around ₹2,000 crore revenue comes from this season.
BTC’s licence has not been renewed since September 1.
CID inquiry
Meanwhile, the State government is learnt to be not keen on renewal of licence unless the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inquiry into an alleged doping incident in the club is completed.CID Director-General of Police H.C. Kishore Chandra said the report was yet to be submitted, while sources said it was being wetted by the legal section.
Meanwhile, an informal meeting of the members scheduled for October 17 to discuss the impasse over the licensing matter has been cancelled. The meeting was called since the general body of the club has already rejected a proposal to increase the membership.
BTC chairman Harimohan Naidu said the extraordinary general body meeting would be convened in the first week of November to request the members to give a mandate to the committee on how to handle this situation.
On the winter races, Mr. Naidu said though the paper work for prospectus was ready, they did not want to announce the schedule without the licence.
Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, I.S.N. Prasad, who is also the licensing authority, was not available for comment.
Proposal on setting up racing board may be revived
A three-decade-old proposal to form Karnataka State Racing Board to monitor racing activities in Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) and Mysore Race Club (MRC) may be revived to solve the current impasse.
A report on the matter by a former government nominee on the BTC board has reached the Chief Minister’s office.
The report by the former government nominee H.S. Srikanth cites the Karnataka Racing Commission report submitted to the government in 1987, which suggested setting up of the board to recommend changes in organisation and control of racing in the State. Among the important proposal made was divesting BTC and MRC of all responsibilities for the conduct of racing by setting up the board to control and administer racing.
Report submitted
Mr. Srikanth confirmed to The Hindu he had submitted his report to the Chief Minister’s office and he was set to meet the Chief Minister in the coming week.
He said the club’s membership base should also be increased substantially to make it more inclusive. “There has to be more transparency in the conduct of racing and public confidence should be regained. Racing enthusiasts participating in the races need better infrastructure.”
‘Licensing not linked to membership issue’
The Finance Department has clarified to the BTC that the issue of licence for betting is not linked with the membership issue of the club.
While a committee of the club had assured the government that membership would be increased from the current 350 and had publicly stated that it was not averse to increasing the number, Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department I.S.N. Prasad, in a letter, has clarified to the BTC Secretary that the government has not linked both the issues.
The general body of the club has been opposing increase of membership.