Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh on Tuesday said that permission has been denied to hold the Vijay Hazare Trophy match at the city's Chinnaswamy Stadium on December 24.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) had sought permission to hold the match without allowing spectators for now. State Home Minister G Parameshwara had constituted a committee to examine on giving permissions to hold cricket matches at the stadium.
The committee had visited the stadium on Monday. Matches were stopped at the Chinnaswamy stadium after a stampede had occurred outside it during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) IPL victory celebration on June 4, in which 11 people died.
"There may be some confusion among you (media) whether there is permission to hold a cricket match or not. There is no need for confusion. As you are aware, our committee had gone there yesterday. Based on the committee's recommendation, permission has been rejected. So there is no match there tomorrow," Singh told reporters.
"The committee had gone to the stadium yesterday on the instructions of the Home Department....as per the report of the department, permission has not been granted for the match tomorrow. The committee has given a detailed report, but as of now the permission is not there."
Singh refused to share the details of the report, stating that he is one of the members of the committee. The committee headed by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) commissioner, consisted of police commissioner and officials of the PWD, Fire and Health departments and Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM).
The Home Minister on Monday had held a meeting with KSCA office bearers, senior officials and police officers at the Vidhana Soudha, regarding holding cricket matches at the stadium, and had asked the panel to visit the facility and provide feedback regarding allowing the cricket contest.
Noting that Bengaluru City Police Commissioner had already written a letter to KSCA stating that it is necessary to follow the 17-point recommendations, Parameshwara on Monday had said that the committee will review what has been complied with and inform the government.