The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to take place between late March and the last week of May. However, BCCI is yet to release the schedule of the tournament, and the announcement is expected to receive further setbacks as Rajasthan Royals have sought an indemnity waiver from the state government to host matches in Jaipur following concerns raised by an independent audit firm and the BCCI over venue preparedness. It’s worth noting that Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy has got the government’s nod to host RCB games for the upcoming season. But there is still no clarity over the home venue for the RR. With the lack of clarity over the Sawai Mansingh Stadium (SMS), the BCCI has not been able to share the final IPL schedule with the franchises. Rajasthan State Sports Council dismissed safety concerns at SMS stadium A PTI source confirmed that the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC) has dismissed the majority of the safety concerns raised by Tata Projects in their 700-page audit, despite BCCI ranking the stadium as the lowest in terms of fan experiences. Following the deadly stampede at Chinnaswamy last year, no franchise wants to take a chance on fan safety at their home venue. Also Read: India’s Super-8 showdown set against South Africa, West Indies: What’s Men in Blue’s second-round schedule after Australia’s elimination? Therefore, it has sought an indemnity letter from the RSSC. The fact that the state association is run by an ad-hoc body is not helping the matter. The IPL franchise, through Tata Projects, had earlier submitted a 700-page audit report of the SMS stadium, highlighting massive fan safety concerns, concluding the venue as unsafe to host IPL matches. In response to a two-month audit conducted by the firm, the RSSC commissioned a committee, including its PWD department, which conducted a ten-day assessment to come up with provisions. However, as per the Rajasthan Royals, those provisions were not executed apart from minor repairs. What is an indemnity letter? A letter of indemnity (LOI) is a legally binding document that guarantees compensation to one party if they suffer financial loss or damage due to another party’s failure to meet contractual obligations. RSSC was also warned by BCCI last year PTI’s BCCI source also highlighted that RSSC were warned last year that the board does not encourage direct liaising with state govt or local authorities, except its member association, and a special permission was granted to RSSC during IPL 2024 and 2025 in the absence of a functioning RCA. “It was a one-time dispensation under exceptional circumstances, and it was very clearly communicated. It cannot be set as a precedent and cannot continue,” the source added. The reports reveal severe deficiencies in life safety, structural integrity and statutory compliance, highlighting that SMS Stadium fails minimum safety standards in all parameters. Assembly elections are another potential cause of delay The Assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal also have potentially caused the delay in IPL announcement. It is worth noting that these states are home to key franchises and major venues. Elections require heavy deployment of state police and security forces across cities and districts. During polling and counting periods, security personnel are prioritised for election duties, leaving limited options available to manage large sporting events like IPL matches. Stadiums such as Eden Gardens could face availability concerns if security cannot be guaranteed. In previous situations, matches have been shifted to alternate venues, but with Assam also holding elections, KKR face a lack of backup options as well. As a result, to avoid chaos, the BCCI may consider releasing the schedule in two phases. The first phase could include confirmed dates, while the remaining fixtures may be announced later once election authorities finalise polling schedules, a strategy used in earlier seasons. Post navigation Australia eliminated from group stage:Zimbabwe advances to Super 8 after rain washes out game vs Ireland India’s Super-8 showdown set against South Africa, West Indies:What’s Men in Blue’s second-round schedule after Australia’s elimination?
