Chidambaram indicated that holding the 45-day tournament could be a high security risk due to non-availability of para-military forces.
Citing security issues due to general elections, Union Home minister P Chidambaram said onTuesday that the IPL should consider postponing the second edition of its T20 cricket tournament, as the terror attack on Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan cast a shadow on the popular event due to begin on April 10.
Chidambaram said he had asked the home secretary (Madhukar Gupta) to get in touch with the organisers and discuss re-scheduling of the dates after security agencies wrote to his Ministry suggesting that the tournament be postponed since it was not possible to provide the required security cover.
Chidambaram indicated that holding the 45-day tournament could be a high security risk due to non-availability of para-military forces who would be also deployed for poll duties.
The tournament will be staged in eight cities across the country and will conclude on May 24. The five-phased general elections are scheduled to be held between April 16 and May 13.
According to sources, a high level meeting has been convened in North Block to review the security situation during the tournament and discuss possible dates.
"It will be difficult to provide adequate para-military forces for election purposes as well as provide security" for the cricket matches," Chidambaram said.
However, Chidambaram said there is no "inability" in providing the security but since it "coincides with elections, I don't want to be stretched. I don't want my forces to be strained" and added that re-scheduling would be a "better proposition."
The security agencies have expressed apprehensions that such attacks could be aimed at IPL because of the congregation of all the global cricket stars, famous personalities and presence of Bollywood stars during the tournament.
More than 21 lakh security personnel will be pressed into service during the upcoming General Elections.
The second edition of the IPL will take place in Jaipur, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Delhi and two other venues which are yet to be decided.
All these venues have repeatedly appeared on the terror radar.
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