HC disapproves justification to cut police cover dues for cricket matches says 'something amiss'

Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) The Bombay High Court on Tuesday appeared discontented over the Maharashtra government's decision to reduce and waive police protection charges of over Rs 15 crore for cricket matches in the state retrospectively from 2011, saying "something is amiss".
The court's scepticism comes in light of a public interest litigation filed by RTI activist Anil Galgali, challenging the legality of the state's move.
During the hearing, a division bench comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar questioned the rationale behind the government's decision.
"Is the security expenditure incurred in a match held in Mumbai the same as the one held in Lucknow? What is this justification? Something is amiss," remarked Chief Justice Upadhyaya.
The Maharashtra government defended its decision by asserting that the change aimed to enhance financial benefits to the state exchequer from hosting cricket matches.
It also pointed out that security fees in other states were significantly lower.
Senior advocate Milind Sathe, representing the government, noted that cricket associations had protested for reduced rates comparable to those in other states.
However, the court highlighted that organisers were already aware of their financial obligations when hosting matches.
"You (government) could have provided the security without charge, but you had issued a government resolution in the past fixing charges for security cover for matches," the Chief Justice stated.
The court expressed discontent over the government's retrospective adjustment of fees nearly a decade after the matches were held.
The bench has scheduled further hearings on the matter for December 17 and directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to submit affidavits in response to the petition.
As per Galgali's plea, the police were yet to recover arrears of Rs 14.82 crore from the MCA for the IPL matches held from 2013 to 2018 at the city's Wankhede and Brabourne stadiums.
As per two Government Resolutions (GRs) issued in the years 2017 and 2018, the organisers had to pay around Rs 66 to Rs 75 lakh per T20 and One Day match, and Rs 55 lakh for a Test match held at these two stadiums in the city.
However, in June 2023, the government issued a new GR reducing the price for a T20 and One-Day match to Rs 25 lakh, the plea said.
Galgali in his plea said the GR had a retrospective effect from 2011 and thus it waived the arrears to be paid by the organisers.
The plea said that in 2021, the Mumbai police had raised a demand of Rs 14.82 crore to the MCA for providing police protection for the games organised between 2013 and 2018 at the Wankhede and Brabourne stadiums.
As per the information obtained under the Right to Information Act, the police have so far sent 35 letters to the MCA seeking payment of the dues, the petition said. Besides this, no serious effort has been taken by the police to recover the dues, it said.
The plea sought the high court to quash the June 2023 circular issued by the government to the extent that it is applicable from 2011 and hence binding on the recovery of the Rs 14.82 crore arrears from the MCA.
It also sought a direction for the police department to take steps to recover the arrears along with appropriate interest.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)