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Hardly two days after the IPL organisers were told to reconsider dates a second time, the Indian government has said that the concerned states should not expect any help from central paramilitary forces during games. India’s home ministry, which had initially wanted the tournament to be postponed, has also said that meetings were not held with IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, according to the Hindustan Times.

“States should give their clearance to the match dates if they can provide security on their own,” a MHA (ministry of home affairs) official told the newspaper. “MHA will not be able to spare any personnel to supplement them in this regard.”

P Chidambaram, India’s home minister, recently vowed that security would be provided for IPL matches though the dates would have to be reworked to avoid a direct clash with general elections in the country.

However, the Bangalore police have declined to provide security cover for the IPL until May 3 and advised the tournament organisers to hold off on hosting games in the city until after May 4. “Bangalore City police will not be in a position to give security for IPL matches until May 3 in view of our commitments regarding Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 23 and April 30,” police commissioner Shankar Bidari said. Bidari said security could be provided if games were played on May 4, 7, 10, 11, 14, 19 and 20.

The Andhra police meanwhile have agreed to provide security for matches after April 26, three days after polling ends in the state. “We have studied the revised schedule submitted by the IPL organisers and accordingly informed them that there is no objection to the conduct of matches after April 26,” AK Khan, the state’s director general of police (law and order), was quoted as saying to PTI. “However, matches will not be possible for four days from May 14 when the police will be busy with duties for counting of votes on May 16.”

The IPL is in discussions with India’s security officials to resolve the clash in dates amid growing anxiety among the league’s foreign players over the security measures for the tournament following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore. Amid the tension over rescheduling of games and alternate venues in the wake of the Lok Sabha elections, the Chhattisgarh State Cricket Association said it was ready to host league matches, reported PTI.

Source:Cricket News

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