NEW DELHI: The meeting at the North Block between home ministry mandarins and BCCI officials, represented by board’s secretary N Srinivasan, on Monday failed to lift the cloud of uncertainty over the Indian Premier League (IPL). In fact, it added a new twist, raising more question marks.
The IPL organizers, who are trying hard to ensure that the league gets rolling on April 10, were told that the Centre and the states will now first have to take care of the Election Commission, which has hinted at the requirement of more forces than what the government had allocated for the polls.
Thus, the BCCI was told that it cannot hold matches before the polls end in the states which are supposed to hold IPL games. Thus, it needs to come up with a fresh schedule which may even see a change in dates of the opening (April 10) and closing (May 24) ceremonies because in most concerned states, the elections are only getting over in May.
In what could be a last-ditch effort to salvage the league’s second edition, the BCCI is likely to submit the re-revised schedule to the Centre on Tuesday, knowing fully well that mere cosmetic changes in the fixtures won’t be acceptable to the government.
Srinivasan and the two other officials - Kasivishwanathan of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Sunder Raman, COO, IPL - who met special secretary (internal security) Raman Srivastava, were told that they would have to get the consent of the states as the Centre was not in a position to spare paramilitary forces in the light of fresh Election Commission requirement.
The ministry also said that security was the prime concern and states will have to take responsibility - particularly when there are intelligence reports indicating terror threats during the IPL matches. Sources in the ministry said that the IPL representatives have promised to return with a schedule which would be acceptable to all the states.
At the meeting, issues like change of venues and squeezing more matches in a single day were discussed. The organisers suggested changing the venue from Visakhapatnam to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh as Andhra Pradesh had categorically refused to provide security there for four matches between April 19 to 29.
They were, however, informed about a similar stand taken by other states and were asked by Srivastava - who had earlier discussed the issue with state DGPs - to work out a new schedule in consultation with the state governments as some of them may not be in a position to stick to what they had agreed to last week.
"The home ministry has expressed its concerns and explained the position to us in detail. We’ve also explained our problems and the worries of the stakeholders," Srinivasan told reporters after the meeting. He refused to answer when asked how the IPL would come out with a fresh schedule when most of the states have insisted on holding matches only after the polls.
IPL whirlpool
March 2: Dates for general elections announced
March 3: SL cricketers attacked in Lahore
March 4: Home minister P Chidambaram says providing paramilitary forces for IPL matches during general elections will be difficult
March 5: Government-IPL decide to review dates to save the event
March 6: Modi says IPL to roll on schedule, Mumbai not Jaipur to host inaugural match, 5 ties rejigged
March 7: IPL submits fresh schedule to home ministry
March 9: Ministry asks states to respond to whether they can provide security for IPL games as per the revised schedule
March 10: Modi announces IPL will be responsible for security. Home ministry sends reminders to states
March 12: Deadlock continues as states demand central forces for IPL
March 13: Govt seeks new dates again, security remains an issue at all venues except Chennai
March 14: IPL body begins working on yet another schedule
March 15: Govt asks IPL to consult states on revised dates
March 16: BCCI, ministry officials meet to break deadlock but fail to find solution.
http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IPL_hits_yet_another_roadblock/articleshow/4273726.cms
The IPL organizers, who are trying hard to ensure that the league gets rolling on April 10, were told that the Centre and the states will now first have to take care of the Election Commission, which has hinted at the requirement of more forces than what the government had allocated for the polls.
Thus, the BCCI was told that it cannot hold matches before the polls end in the states which are supposed to hold IPL games. Thus, it needs to come up with a fresh schedule which may even see a change in dates of the opening (April 10) and closing (May 24) ceremonies because in most concerned states, the elections are only getting over in May.
In what could be a last-ditch effort to salvage the league’s second edition, the BCCI is likely to submit the re-revised schedule to the Centre on Tuesday, knowing fully well that mere cosmetic changes in the fixtures won’t be acceptable to the government.
Srinivasan and the two other officials - Kasivishwanathan of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Sunder Raman, COO, IPL - who met special secretary (internal security) Raman Srivastava, were told that they would have to get the consent of the states as the Centre was not in a position to spare paramilitary forces in the light of fresh Election Commission requirement.
The ministry also said that security was the prime concern and states will have to take responsibility - particularly when there are intelligence reports indicating terror threats during the IPL matches. Sources in the ministry said that the IPL representatives have promised to return with a schedule which would be acceptable to all the states.
At the meeting, issues like change of venues and squeezing more matches in a single day were discussed. The organisers suggested changing the venue from Visakhapatnam to Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh as Andhra Pradesh had categorically refused to provide security there for four matches between April 19 to 29.
They were, however, informed about a similar stand taken by other states and were asked by Srivastava - who had earlier discussed the issue with state DGPs - to work out a new schedule in consultation with the state governments as some of them may not be in a position to stick to what they had agreed to last week.
"The home ministry has expressed its concerns and explained the position to us in detail. We’ve also explained our problems and the worries of the stakeholders," Srinivasan told reporters after the meeting. He refused to answer when asked how the IPL would come out with a fresh schedule when most of the states have insisted on holding matches only after the polls.
IPL whirlpool
March 2: Dates for general elections announced
March 3: SL cricketers attacked in Lahore
March 4: Home minister P Chidambaram says providing paramilitary forces for IPL matches during general elections will be difficult
March 5: Government-IPL decide to review dates to save the event
March 6: Modi says IPL to roll on schedule, Mumbai not Jaipur to host inaugural match, 5 ties rejigged
March 7: IPL submits fresh schedule to home ministry
March 9: Ministry asks states to respond to whether they can provide security for IPL games as per the revised schedule
March 10: Modi announces IPL will be responsible for security. Home ministry sends reminders to states
March 12: Deadlock continues as states demand central forces for IPL
March 13: Govt seeks new dates again, security remains an issue at all venues except Chennai
March 14: IPL body begins working on yet another schedule
March 15: Govt asks IPL to consult states on revised dates
March 16: BCCI, ministry officials meet to break deadlock but fail to find solution.
http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/IPL_hits_yet_another_roadblock/articleshow/4273726.cms
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