No extra forces for IPL: MHA

Even as the IPL organisers were forced to start work on a fresh schedule, the Ministry of Home Affairs made it clear that the states should not expect any assistance from central paramilitary forces for providing security during the matches, reports Aloke Tikku.

Even as the IPL organisers were forced to start work on a fresh schedule, the Ministry of Home Affairs made it clear that the states should not expect any assistance from central paramilitary forces for providing security during the matches.

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“States should give their clearance to the match dates if they can provide security on their own…MHA will not be able to spare any personnel to supplement them in this regard,” a home ministry official told HT on Saturday. MHA officials also said no meetings were held with IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi.

MHA’s refusal to help may force the IPL organisers to severely reduce the number of matches in April, look for fresh venues as well as schedule most of the matches in May.

If MHA and the Maharashtra government do not budge, it could even threaten the opening Ceremony on April 10 in Mumbai. Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Chandigarh had agreed to nearly a dozen matches if MHA could spare five companies of central forces. The MHA official said they could not meet this request.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government refused security to matches before May 4.