Chandigarh : The petition filed by Nikhil Thamman, a final-year law student at the University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, seeks to restrain the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) from conducting Indian Premiere League (IPL) matches at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Mohali. Thamman, identified as an RTI activist and environmental enthusiast, argues that the construction of the stadium violates the Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Thamman, represented by counsel Sunaina, Abhishek Khurana, and Narinder Singh, contends that the stadium’s construction lacks necessary clearances, particularly from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) mandated by the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, as the project is within the 10-kilometer radius of the Sector 21 Bird Sanctuary, Chandigarh.

The petition calls for the high court to direct BCCI and PCA to refrain from hosting IPL 2024 matches as scheduled and to halt ticket sales for these matches immediately. Furthermore, the petitioner seeks legal action against responsible officers for permitting the unauthorized construction of the stadium and its subsequent use for events such as IPL 2024.

Thamman highlights the absence of essential clearances, including environmental and forest/wildlife clearances, required before commencing construction on a new stadium. This failure to comply with regulatory protocols is a central concern raised in the petition.