Police protection charges for cricket matches reduced to boost state economy: State govt tells HC

Maharashtra plans to waive police protection charges for cricket matches to boost local economy, per a government affidavit to the Bombay High Court.

MUMBAI: The decision to reduce and waive police protection charges levied during cricket matches in Maharashtra was taken so that more cricketing events can be held in the state and give a boost to the local economy, the Maharashtra government has submitted to the Bombay high court.

Police protection charges for cricket matches reduced to boost state economy: State govt tells HC

The government in an affidavit filed on October 11 said the policy decision taken by way of a government resolution in June 2023 was “just, proper and reasonable and was in the larger interest of the State fiscal benefit”.

The affidavit has been filed in response to a public interest litigation questioning the June 2023 decision of the state government to reduce and waive police protection charges for all cricket matches.

The affidavit filed by Anup Kumar Singh, principal secretary (special), home department, said the decision was taken to encourage teams and organisers to opt for the grounds in Maharashtra for cricket matches.

“Organising cricket matches in Maharashtra boosts the financial and economic health of the state. Such matches generate increased employment and result in increased generation of revenue as well as taxes, growth in hospitality, restaurants, transport, boost to small local businesses as well as other ancillary activities,” the affidavit said.

“It was deemed appropriate as a policy decision to revise the police protection charges which would result in continued economic benefits to the local economy of the state and to make it competitive as against the other states with a view to hosting more matches in the state,” the affidavit said.

It added that pursuant to a representation submitted in 2020 by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) seeking a waiver and reduction of security deployment fees as it was much higher than that being charged by other states in India, a comparative study was carried out.

“Despite the stadiums in Maharashtra being one of the best in the world, after due consideration to the various contributory factors which have a direct and indirect effect on boosting the economy of the state, a policy decision was taken by the Cabinet to revise the police bandobast fees with effect from 2011,” the affidavit said.

As per two Government Resolutions (GRs) issued in 2017 and 2018, the organisers had to pay around ₹66 to ₹75 lakh per T-20 and one-day match and ₹55 lakh for a test match held in Mumbai’s Wankhede and Brabourne stadiums. However, in June 2023, the government issued a new GR, reducing the price for a T20 and one-day match to ₹25 lakh, the plea said.

The PIL complained that in 2021, the Mumbai police had raised a demand of ₹14.82 crore to the MCA towards police protection charges for the games organised between 2013 and 2018 at the Wankhede and Brabourne stadiums and the amount remained unpaid despite several reminders.