HC allows BCCI to hold May 1 IPL match in Pune

The Bombay high court, on Wednesday, permitted the Board of Control for Cricket in India to hold the May 1 Indian Premier League match between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants in Pune, days after it ordered shifting all post-April 30 matches scheduled in drought-hit Maharashtra to other venues.

A division bench of justices V M Kanade and M S Karnik granted the permission while hearing an application filed by BCCI general manager (games development) Ratnakar Shetty urging the court to let the cricket body hold the May 1 IPL match as scheduled in Pune.

The application was filed following an order passed by the high court on April 12, directing that all IPL matches from April 30 be shifted out of Maharashtra due to the severe drought situation in the state.

Following the high court order, 13 matches were to be shifted to other states.

Shetty, in his application, asked the court to grant permission to allow the BCCI to hold the May 1 match, between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants, in Pune, as it would not be able to make arrangements to shift the match to another venue in a single day.

According to the application, the Pune team is scheduled to play Gujarat Lions on April 29 in Pune, and, hence, it is 'practically impossible' for the BCCI and the Pune franchise to shift the May 1 match to an another venue outside Maharashtra and 'make all arrangements for the same in just a single day'.

The court, after hearing the arguments of the BCCI, allowed the application and said this was as an 'exception'.

Shetty's application stated that its request is 'bonafide and is being made in the interest of justice' and if the court does not grant relief then severe prejudice, grave hardship and irreparable damage and injury will be caused to the BCCI and the Pune franchise.

The application further stated that if the May 1 match is shifted to any venue outside the state then the team members and its crew can travel only in the afternoon of April 30 as the match on April 29 will get over only late at night.

• Coverage: IPL 9