New Delhi: ICC T20 World Cup 2016 matches scheduled to begin from March 8 cannot be played in the national capital unless DDCA acquires completion certificate and requisite compliances, the Delhi High Court held on Friday.
A bench of justices B D Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva further said that it had in its November 18 order allowed DDCA to hold India-South Africa test series in New Delhi from December 3 to 7 on the terms that in future they will not conduct any new tournament without a completion certificate.
It also said that in its order it was made clear that DDCA was given "last opportunity" to get the necessary clearances from Delhi Urban Arts Commission and Archaeological Survey of India and no-objection certificate from Land and Development Office, as well as completion certificate from South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), by March 31.
"We had directed SDMC to issue a provisional occupancy certificate for only those test matches. You get completion certificate and then come here. Without that we can not give you permission to conduct any matches," the court said.
The court's order came on the DDCA fresh application to allow them to conduct ICC T20 World Cup 2016 scheduled to begin from March 8 continuing till April 3 in India, by asking SDMC to give them provisional occupancy certificate for the matches to be held in Delhi.
It said that they be allowed to hold matches at Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium here on or before March 31 next year under the supervision of Justice Mukul Mudgal, a former Judge of Delhi High Court and former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The court, however, said that it cannot alter its order and DDCA will have to get the requisite certificate.
"Wrong forum, wrong petition. This application cannot be entertained," the bench said, adding that "without compliance where is the question of holding any new matches".
SDMC counsel Gaurang Kant contended that DDCA had obtained interim relief 13 times in the past, despite not making any effort to get the requisite clearances.
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