HC orders notice on plea to regulate IPL matches in TN

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered issue of notice of motion returnable by June 7 to authorities on a PIL seeking a direction on regulating IPL matches in the state as per Tamil Nadu Entertainment Tax and Tamil Nadu Cinemas Act and allow matches during daytime only.

Petitioner Vasan alias Sakthi Vasan said the matches conducted by IPL are for entertainment of the public. He submitted that the tickets for the IPL matches were being sold at exorbitant rates and the higher range of tickets were purchased by rich and affluent people. The state home department, regulating the tariff for entertainment, failed to regulate the tariff, he charged. Vasan contended that the Commercial Taxes department was not initiating any steps to collect entertainment tax from IPL, BCCI and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association for the conduct of IPL matches in Chennai. If the entertainment taxes were collected from the IPL, BCCI and TNCA in Chennai the same would augment government revenue which would enable government to spend more money for welfare measures, Vasan contended.He also said matches were generally taking place only as day and night matches which involve huge amount of electricity. Right now Tamil Nadu Electricity Board was embarking on powercuts stating that they did not have enough supply to meet the demand.A vacation bench of justices V Dhanapalan and A Arumugha Swamy also permitted the counsel for the petitioner to serve private notices to respondents – Indian Premier League, BCCI and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association. The Bench posted the matter for further hearing on June 7. PTI