Kerala HC rejects PIL that challenged use of name ‘IPL’

The Kerala High Court has refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that was filed challenging the use of the name ‘Indian Premier League’ (IPL) by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The petitioner, Ashique of Ernakulam, who is said to be a public spirited person, challenged the use of the name IPL, which is a franchise- based twenty-20 cricket tournament organised by the BCCI. He contended that the tournament is continuing for several years and that he recently realised that the IPL is not an official cricket tournament of the country.

As such, the name Indian Premier League is being used illegally by the BCCI, he added in his plea.

While hearing the plea, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. observed that there was no merit in the substance of the argument and refused to entertain the PIL.