New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking order to stop the IPL 2021 with an immediate effect. The PIL has also sought an enquiry into why IPL has been given priority over public health amid a raging pandemic.
A single-judge bench comprising of Justice Justice Pratibha Singh directed the PIL to the division bench. The PIL will be heard by the bench on May 5.
The petition has sought a ban on the matches of IPL. The PIL filed by Karan S. Thukral and Inder Mohan Singh seeks relief against an "arbitrary, unreasonable and unjustified action on part of the Respondents" in purporting to conduct the IPL matches in Delhi amid the horrifying Covid-19 situation in the national capital.
Also Read: COVID hits IPL: KKR-RCB match rescheduled after two KKR players test +ve
"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 stoppes on an immediate basis." The petition reads.
At the time of writing this report, India reported 34,43,624 positive cases while 2,22,477 people lost their lives since the COVID pandemic hit India.
IPL 2021 has started on April 9. Two matches - KKR vs RCB and CSK vs RR- have been rescheduled as four players - Sandeep Warrier, Varun Chakravarthy, Wriddhiman Saha and Amit Mishra- and support staff tested positive.
