Centre, states want IPL dates revised further

The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) today asked organisers of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to further revise match schedules for the coming Twenty20 format cricket extravaganza, currently scheduled between April 10 and May 24, and overlapping with the general election dates.

With this plunging of the IPL into uncertainty, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi and CEO Sundar Raman are expected to hold discussions with home ministry officials tomorrow to salvage the high-profile event. Both flew to New Delhi late at night, according to PTI.

The Lok Sabha polls are also scheduled in April-May and some state governments today diasgreed with a revised schedule sent by the IPL organisers to the MHA on March 7. Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta today held a 90-minute consultation with the seven states concerned, and was apprised of security problems in hosting the mega-event.

Said an MHA statement: "Two states accounting for three venues (Hyderabad,Visakhapatnam and Delhi) have expressed their inability to provide security during the election period. Karnataka has agreed to provide security on four out of six match days."

"...Taking into account all the factors, MHA is advising the IPL organisers that it may not be feasible to hold the matches as per the revised schedule submitted by them on March 7, 2009. IPL organisers have been advised to accommodate the concerns of the various State Governments and draw up a revised schedule and submit the same to the MHA."

Security of IPL has become a major cause of worry for the government after the terror attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers in Lahore on March 3.