Govt takes tough stand, rejects new schedule

The Union Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) has taken a tough stand on the Indian Premier League (IPL) issue and told its organiser — the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) — that forces could not be diverted from election-related duties for this cricketing extravaganza. 

According to official sources, this was conveyed to N Srinivasan, secretary, BCCI, who along with two other board members, today met Raman Srivastava, special secretary (internal security), MHA, with a revised schedule of IPL matches. 

The MHA had asked the BCCI to revise its schedule in view of the security concerns arising out of the cricket tournament and the general elections schedules running concurrently. The MHA had said that it was impossible to provide security for both. 

According to an MHA spokesperson, the meeting lasted about one-and-a half hours. 

“Srivastava conveyed the concerns of the MHA to the BCCI team — the limitations in sparing para-military forces and exempting the forces committed by the state governments for election purposes,” he said. 

The MHA has told the BCCI to make a serious effort to re-work the schedule of the IPL matches in consultation with the state governments, which have expressed their inability to hold the matches unless they are given extra para-military forces by the ministry, sources say.

“The BCCI team has been asked to work out a new schedule in consultation with the state governments. Once the schedule is received, the Ministry of Home Affairs will look at it further in consultation with the state governments,” the MHA spokesperson said.