Indian Government says it can’t provide IPL security during polls

Saturday, 22 February 2014 07:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Indian Home Minister has informed the BCCI that the Government cannot provide security to the IPL during the federal elections likely to be held in April and May. Two senior BCCI officials, Secretary Sanjay Patel and Vice-President Rajeev Shukla, met the Indian Home Minister, Sushil Kumar Shinde, on Thursday to discuss security measures for the IPL.

“Due to the general elections it would not be possible to spare the kind of force which is required,” a Home Ministry spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “They have to look for an alternate venue (during elections).” Ranjib Biswal, the IPL Chairman, said the BCCI had been told it could bring back the tournament to India once the elections were completed. Biswal said a final schedule for the IPL would be drawn up once the Indian Election Commission announced the dates of the polls. The Election Commission has not indicated when it will declare the dates, but Patel said that the BCCI was willing to wait to make the final schedule. “We want to host as many matches as possible in India as it is a domestic tournament,” Patel said. “So once the elections dates are announced we can finalise where and when to host the tournament.” That final decision is likely to be taken during the IPL Governing Council meeting and then ratified by BCCI working committee, both of which are scheduled on 28 February in Bhubaneswar. At the last governing council meeting, held on the sidelines of the IPL players auction, it was decided that the tournament would be held in the window between 9 April and 3 June. It was also announced then that South Africa would be the “preferred” venue after India.