Andhra Pradesh police has thrown a spanner in the works for IPL commissioner Lalit Modi after stating on Thursday that they will not be in a position to provide security for the matches during elections in the state.
Sources say the AP police have written to the Ministry of Home Affairs saying it is possible to provide security forces for IPL matches only after April 23, after the two phases of polling in the state are over.
They have also said the IPL will have to come up with alternative dates if they want matches in the state. Not just Andhra Pradesh, but Maharashtra and Delhi are yet to reply to the Union Home Ministry about the security arrangements.
IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had during his press conference on Tuesday said that the Andhra coastal city of Visakhapatnam had been added as an additional venue for the second edition of the IPL.
Modi, who had on Tuesday refrained from giving out the final schedule of the IPL saying that it was still being "fine tuned", will now have to pull a rabbit out of his hat to ensure the tournament goes ahead as per plan.
The Andhra Pradesh police's refusal to provide security will also cast a shadow over where the Hyderabad-based Deccan Chargers team will play their home matches.
It looks as if they will have to join the ranks of IPL first edition runners-up Chennai Super Kings, who will not be able to play their seven home matches in Chennai due to the polling dates in the state.
The second edition of the IPL is scheduled to be held from April 10 to May 24 with the opening and closing ceremonies slated to be held in the D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai.
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