Direct BCCI to hold IPL in India: Lawyer to High Court

A Lawyer has approached the High Court of Bombay challenging the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to hold the 13th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE this year instead of India. The plea, filed by Pune-based Lawyer Abhishek Lagoo, said if the IPL is held outside India it would cause huge economic & revenue loss to the country.

Lagoo, who in his petition claimed to be an ardent cricket fan, said the IPL is the most popular T20 cricket league & its brand value in 2019 was Rs 475 billion & is the main revenue earner for the BCCI. The plea is expected to heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta & Justice Revati Mohite Dere on Aug 18.

This year’s IPL matches were to begin in March but were postponed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. The BCCI, on Aug 2, said the IPL would be held between Sept 19 & Nov 10 at Dubai, Sharjah & Abu Dhabi stadiums in the UAE subject to necessary clearance from the Indian Govt.

The IPL has, over the years, become a major economic activity in India & boosts various sectors, generates employment, increases business volume, the petition said. If the tournament is played outside India, there will be huge revenue loss for the Govt of India in terms of logistics, tourists, advertisers & so on.

“The IPL is not a charity event. The pandemic has created grave difficulties for all businesses. Holding the IPL in India would prove to be a great economic booster which the country needs desperately, the plea said.

The plea added that the Central Govt has from time to time granted relaxations in the lockdown & allowed reopening of gardens, malls & other public places. Hence, it would not be harmful if the IPL matches are conducted in India with proper precautions & safety measures, the petition said.

Lagoo, in his plea, has sought the high court to direct the BCCI to hold the IPL matches in India.

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