No IPL matches in drought-hit Maharashtra after May 1: Supreme Court

Mumbai: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday refused to allow IPL cricket matches in Maharashtra due to the prevailing drought conditions in that state. The apex court rejected the plea of Mumbai Cricket Association and Maharashtra Cricket Association against Bombay HC order to shift IPL matches out of the state. The decision meant that no IPL match would be held in the state after May 1. There's an exception for one match that is to be held on May 1 between Pune Supergiants and Mumbai Indians in Pune. The cricket board will have to look for new venues for 12 matches in the month of May including the final in Mumbai on May 29. After April 30, 13 matches were scheduled to be held in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur which includes an eliminator match on May 25 and qualifier match on May 27 in Pune and the finals on May 29 in Mumbai. Earlier, the high court order had held a similar view despite an assurance by BCCI that IPL franchises of Mumbai and Pune had agreed to contribute Rs five crore to CM's drought relief fund. The order came on a PIL by NGO 'Loksatta Movement' which challenged the use of over 60 lakh litres of water for ground management despite drought in the state and had sought for all the matches to be shifted out of Maharashtra. The court also noted that several districts in Maharashtra are not even getting water for sanitation and other purposes and that the non-potable water being used by the stadiums to maintain pitches can be of use in such districts. (With PTI inputs)