The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has secured a legal victory ahead of the IPL 2026 season. The Kerala High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought to challenge the legality of the “Indian Premier League” name, labelling the tournament as an unofficial event.
Court rejects challenge to IPL’s ‘Indian’ branding
The petitioner, Ashique Karoth, contended that the BCCI’s use of the name “Indian Premier League” was illegal, arguing that the T20 tournament did not constitute an official national cricket event.
However, a bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M found “no merit” in the substance of the argument. In its observation, the court noted the irony of the petitioner only recently questioning the tournament’s status despite the IPL being a global sporting fixture for several years. By dismissing the plea, the court has effectively reaffirmed the BCCI’s right to its flagship brand just days before the 19th edition commences.
“We find no merit in the substance of the said argument, and hence, we do not feel that it would be proper to keep this writ petition as a public interest litigation (PIL),” the bench said as quoted by PTI.
Chinnaswamy Stadium cleared for tournament opener
Earlier, the Karnataka government formally approved the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as the venue for IPL 2026 matches.
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The approval ends months of administrative uncertainty following a stampede at the venue after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) maiden title win last season. The decision was finalized following a high-level meeting chaired by Karnataka Home Minister Dr. G Parameshwar and an Expert Committee constituted to review stadium preparedness.