New Delhi: Looks like the Indian Premier League is all set to unfold. The letters of clearance that were required for the Season 2 of the popular Twenty20 cricket series to kick off are out.
CNN-IBN is in possession of the copies of the letters that show most states giving their go ahead to the series, even offering state security for the matches – an issue of contention between IPL and Government given the General Elections schedule.
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The only exception is Maharashtra which has given the series a conditional go-ahead.
Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Gafoor says the city police are ready to provide security as long as matches do not coincide with polling days.
He has also requested the cricketers stay at the Cricket Club of India instead of five-star hotels .
However, the state seems divided on the issue with Director-General of Police (Elections) Suprakash Chakravarty saying that the IPL should be held only after elections are over.
Chakravarty said the security forces would be severely constrained in view of the Lok Sabha elections during the period the IPL is proposed to be held.
The DGP has sought postponement of the IPL to sometime in May, or after the three-phased elections in the state are completed.
"There is no point in putting any extra strain on the police and security forces, which shall be fully occupied with the election duties," Chakravarty said.
Justifying the proposal to postpone the league, Chakravarty said even if there were no elections in cities of Maharashtra where IPL matches are scheduled, the security forces would be on protection duties, which is very strenuous.
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