HC dismisses plea to direct BCCI to pay fees to Delhi Police for security during IPL matches
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court has dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay a substantial amount to the police here for the security provided for matches held in the national capital during the IPL seasons.
The high court noted the Union of India and Delhi Police chose not to charge any fee from BCCI and IPL team Delhi Capitals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches held in the city and it was a policy decision that does not require any court interference.
"The decision of the Union of India or Delhi Police to not charge respondent nos. 1 and 2 (BCCI and Delhi Capitals) for the security provided during IPL matches is a policy decision which does not require any interference from this court in the present PIL," a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora said.
It held that the directions prayed for in the plea are not maintainable.
The high court said there was no merit in the petitioner's submission that there was a notional amount due and payable by BCCI and the IPL team to the Union of India and Delhi Police for the past matches held here until 2022.
The bench, which dismissed the petition, said this order should not be construed as restricting or prohibiting the Delhi Police from raising any fees for past or future dues if it so decides.
The high court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) by Haider Ali, who claims to be a social activist, seeking a direction to the BCCI and Delhi Capitals to pay a substantial amount to Delhi Police towards the security provided for the matches during the IPL seasons.
The petitioner's counsel said he has learnt that for IPL matches held in Mumbai, the franchisee pays for the police deployment charges and added that a plea has been filed in the Rajasthan High Court on the issue of non-payment of arrears of dues by the sponsors and organisers of IPL matches payable to the Rajasthan Police for the matches held there.
The Centre’s counsel submitted that Delhi Police has not negotiated any fee with BCCI and the IPL team for the security deployed during IPL matches and, therefore, there is no amount due and payable by BCCI to the police.
The high court perused the documents on record which showed that the Maharashtra Police had negotiated a fee for the security deployed during the IPL matches held at Mumbai and the non-payment of fee was the issue under consideration before the Bombay High Court.
Similarly, in the PIL registered before the Rajasthan High Court, the issue noted by the court was with respect to the default in payment of the dues by the sponsors and organisers of IPL matches for the services rendered by the Rajasthan Police Force, it said.
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UAE announces complete withdrawal of forces from Yemen amid rift with Saudi Arabia
Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday declared that it would withdraw its remaining forces from Yemen, bringing an end to what it described as its “counterterrorism” mission, amid escalating tensions with Saudi Arabia over developments in the country’s south.
The announcement followed a demand by Yemen’s internationally recognised government, led by the Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council, that Emirati forces leave Yemeni territory within 24 hours. Riyadh publicly supported the call, deepening a rare public rift within the Saudi Arabia-led coalition that has been fighting Houthi rebels since 2015.
In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said it had conducted a “comprehensive assessment” of its role in Yemen and decided to terminate the mission due to recent developments and their implications for the safety and effectiveness of its personnel. It said the withdrawal would be carried out in a manner ensuring the security of its forces.
Al Jazeera reported that the decision came hours after Saudi-led coalition aircraft struck the southern port city of Mukalla, targeting what Riyadh claimed was a weapons shipment linked to the UAE and intended for the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC). Saudi Arabia said it viewed recent STC advances in the Hadramout and Mahara provinces as a threat to its national security, accusing Abu Dhabi of exerting pressure on the group to carry out military operations.
The STC, which had earlier fought alongside the internationally recognised government against the Houthis, launched a major offensive this month, seizing control of large areas of southern Yemen, including provinces bordering Saudi Arabia. The advances ended years of relative stalemate and triggered sharp warnings from Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia said any threat to its security was a “red line” and that it would take all necessary measures to counter such risks. Its concerns were echoed by Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, who accused the UAE of directing and supporting the STC’s actions. Following the Mukalla strike, al-Alimi announced the dissolution of a defence pact with the UAE and ordered Emirati forces to leave within a day.
The UAE rejected the accusation, saying it was surprised by the Saudi air strike and maintaining that the shipment targeted in Mukalla did not contain weapons and was meant for Emirati forces, not the STC. It reiterated its commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and said it was seeking a solution to prevent further escalation.
The Mukalla strike, which caused damage but no casualties, exposed widening fractures within the coalition formed nearly a decade ago to counter the Houthis. Emirati troops first deployed in Yemen in 2015, but the UAE had already drawn down most of its forces in 2019, retaining only a limited presence in government-held areas.
Saying both Saudi Arabia and the UAE reflected a commitment to regional stability and the principles of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Qatar welcomed their statements. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also held calls with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar to discuss regional developments.
The STC spokesperson, Anwar al-Tamimi, said there was “no thinking about withdrawal” from areas it had seized, warning that any move against its forces would be met with a response. Meanwhile, Yemeni authorities imposed temporary air, sea and ground restrictions following the escalation, as uncertainty continued to surround the future balance of power in southern Yemen.
