Anadi Tewari
A Public Interest Litigation has been moved before the Delhi High Court seeking directions to stop the IPL (Indian Premier League) matches with immediate effect and to further direct an enquiry as to why the IPL is being prioritized over Public Health.
The bench of Justice Pratibha M. Singh vide order (dtd: 03 May 2021) has asked the matter to be listed before an appropriate Division Bench on 05 May 2021.
“Considering the nature of the matter and the fact that this petition is in the public interest, subject to orders of the Hon’ble Chief Justice, list before the appropriate Division Bench, as per the Roster, on 05 May 2021,” the single-judge bench order reads.
Background of the Plea
By virtue of this writ petition, the Petitioner is seeking relief against an arbitrary, unreasonable and unjustified action on part of the Respondent(s) in purporting to conduct the IPL matches in Delhi amid the horrifying Covid-19 situation in Delhi.
“In a capital city where the common people are struggling for beds in hospitals, cremation grounds for the last rituals, oxygen cylinders for critical patients and basic medicines, the conduct of IPL matches in Delhi would disturb the mental peace of those who are struggling to save their loved ones. Hence, the cricket stadium should be used to create Covid care centres in order to reduce the plights of the common people and these matches must be stopped on an immediate basis,” the plea reads.
“Delhi, being one of the host cities for the two contrasting happenings – COVID-19 and IPL, has turned into a battleground, not just for the teams fighting for victory but also for thousands of people fighting the ultimate battle between life and death. The question that then arises is how the government can allow its resources, including the stadium, the health care and the administrative staff to be diverted anywhere else while there is an acute shortage of medical infrastructure in the state. The current picture is so contrasting that at one end of the road, a recreational event is taking place at the same time when people are standing in cues opposite the stadium to get admittance in the hospital located there,” the petition argues.
Highlighting that the game of cricket is one of those that is prone to various kinds of injuries, the petition questions the decision of conduction of IPL matches in the capital city and states:
“Seeing the current state of affairs if god forbid any one of the team players experience a greater magnitude of the injury, is our government prepared with the kind of medical facilities required for such treatments?”
The petition has also drawn attention to the recent observations made by the Delhi High Court in regard to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic by the Delhi Government and stated that its system had ‘failed’ to check the hoarding of oxygen and warned that if the Government fails to address this issue, the court will ask Central Government officers to take over the situation.
Highlighting that a total of 8 IPL Matches have been scheduled to be held in Delhi from 28-04-2021 to 08-05-2021 amid the COVID-surge and the lockdown extension by the Delhi CM, the petition states that:
“On one side people are dying due to lack of hospital beds and are seen waiting in cues to cremate their loved ones while on the other end instead of applying resources to its optimal use, the Respondent(s) has deemed it appropriate to go on and support the conduct of IPL. While people are busy asking for help and sharing leads for basic medical facilities, the government has very conveniently turned a blind eye on the whole scenario, ignoring the possible consequences that can arise out of it.”
Providing that the stadium which could have accommodated more than 500 people and used as a COVID-19 care centre that was the utmost requirement of Delhi, the petition contends that what citizens need is beds, oxygen cylinders, injections, basic facilities and at the least support from the Respondent(s) if not anything else which is sharply missing in light of the fact that the Respondent(s) have found it appropriate to invest its energies and people’s resources in the conduct of IPL.
“That the once celebrated IPL has now occupied eyes from all over the globe, not for its magnificence but for the news of the cricketers abandoning the league for their own safety in light of the current situation. Many cricketers have opted themselves out from the matches owing to the travelling restrictions outside India. Many families of the cricketers are also suffering from the virus. The health facilities being provided to the cricketers can save many lives of the common people who are struggling to get their loved ones treated on time. Even a single ambulance deployed outside the cricket ground can save many lives especially in a time when Delhi is running out of resources,”the plea further argues for the stoppage of IPL matches.
This petition has been filed by Advocate Karan S. Thukral and Inder Mohan Singh.
The respondents in the matter are Union of India through Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI), IPL Governing Council through its Chairman, Delhi and District Cricket Association through its President and the Chief Minister of Delhi.
Case: Karan S. Thukral and Another v. Union of India and Others [W.P.(C) 5118/2021]