Mumbai, March 19 (IANS) – General elections have impacted the Indian Premier League (IPL) since 2009 due to the security concerns. Despite being an independent body, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) relies on governments for security during the tournament.
The BCCI, though separate from the government, needs security assistance for player safety, traffic management, and crowd control. The clash of IPL and Lok Sabha elections, both held every five years between March and June, has been a recurring challenge for the IPL Governing Council.
In 2009, the IPL was moved to South Africa due to security concerns during the general elections. In 2014, part of the tournament was held in the UAE for the same reason. However, in 2019, the entire IPL was conducted in India with some match rescheduling to avoid clashes with the polling dates.
Speculation arose for the 2024 IPL edition being held abroad as well, with UAE being the likely venue. However, the BCCI has confirmed that the event will take place in India. The Council is now finalizing the schedule for the second phase of matches around the election dates to ensure a smooth tournament.
While the current season may not face any relocation issues, the history shows that general elections can still pose challenges for the IPL in the future. The BCCI remains prepared to address any potential hurdles arising from such clashes in the upcoming years.
