Bombay High Court Questions Retroactive Waiver of Cricket Security Fees

The Bombay High Court questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to reduce and waive police protection charges for cricket matches retrospectively from 2011. Activist Anil Galgali filed a PIL challenging this move, citing unrecovered dues from the Mumbai Cricket Association. The court seeks affidavits from BCCI and MCA.

The Bombay High Court has raised concerns over the Maharashtra government's decision to retroactively waive police protection charges levied on cricket matches since 2011. The court criticized the comparison of event costs between major cities, emphasizing the potential financial impact on the state's revenue.

RTI activist Anil Galgali challenged the decision, highlighting unrecovered arrears amounting to Rs 14.82 crore from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for matches held between 2013 and 2018. Despite demands from cricket associations for lower fees, the court noted the organizers were aware of fee obligations at the time of the events.

The bench has requested affidavits from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and MCA, as the case progresses with a hearing set for December 17. The plea urges the quashing of a 2023 government order applying reductions from 2011 and calls for the recovery of arrears with interest.

(With inputs from agencies.)