IPL name controversy: BCCI faces legal showdown, Kerala HC steps in

The Kerala High Court has rejected a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the use of the name “Indian Premier League” by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The petitioner, Ashique Karoth, who described himself as a social worker, had argued that the BCCI’s T20 league was illegally using the title.A division bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V M noted that the petitioner had only recently realised that the IPL was not an official national cricket tournament, despite its long-standing presence. “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 judges said.Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has formally cleared the way for the M.

Chinnaswamy Stadium to host IPL 2026 matches, granting approval to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). This ends months of uncertainty following a stampede after RCB’s maiden title triumph.The 19th edition of the IPL is set to begin on March 28, with defending champions RCB opening the tournament against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, as per the official schedule.

IPL 2026 schedule

The second set of fixtures is expected to be announced soon by the governing body.