Mumbai was scheduled to host seven matches out of 18 T-20 matches in Maharashtra between March 21 and April 10.

In view of threat perception, tight security is necessary for any match at this moment, said a senior police official in south Mumbai.

“In the backdrop of Mumbai terror strikes and attack on Sri Lankan cricket team on Pakistan soil by the terrorists, tight security is the requirement for any match. If the IPL and elections would have held simultaneously, it would have led to tremendous pressure on the police,” the official said.

“The decision may have disappointed the cricket fans, including me, as I love cricket, but overall it is a right decision,” he added.

Deputy Police Commissioner, Rajkumar Vatkar said that the police would have definitely provided all sort of help if the matches would have held after the elections.

“Now, it will certainly reduce some burden on the police,” he said.

Uncertainty over holding matches in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra prevailed after the election in-charge and DGP Suprakash Chakravarty recently said it was not on his lookout to provide security to IPL matches and did not want to put additional burden on his men during the elections.

“Since I am heading the police force during the elections, I said what I had to say. I did not want to deploy my men for IPL matches at the cost of election security. My priority is to hold free and fair elections,” said Suprakash Chakravarty when asked about shifting of IPL matches abroad.