Ekana Stadium Hit with ₹28.42 Crore Tax Notice, IPL Matches at Risk

Lucknow (The Uttam Hindu) - The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has issued a property tax notice of Rs 28.42 crore to the Ekana Stadium, casting uncertainty over the hosting of the upcoming Women's Premier League (WPL) and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at a time when the city is gearing up to host these big sporting events.

The Ekana Stadium administration has reacted strongly to this notice issued on Saturday and termed it "inappropriate". The stadium administration is now planning to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for relief in this matter.

The notice issued by Zone-4 of the Municipal Corporation includes outstanding dues of Rs 5.45 crore from December 1, 2020 and additional dues of Rs 22.97 crore. Additional Municipal Commissioner Pankaj Srivastava said that this action has been taken under the legal provisions and it will be strictly followed.

Shrivastava clarified that exemption from property tax is available only to playgrounds and stadiums of government aided or recognized non-aided educational institutions. Since Ekana Stadium does not fall in this category, it is mandatory to pay tax. He said that along with IPL and other professional sports, cultural programs are also organized in Ekana Stadium, in which tickets are sold, and on this basis this property tax has been imposed.

However, Ekana Stadium director Uday Sinha has called this notice "against the rules". He argues that according to the rules of Lucknow Municipal Corporation, all types of stadiums should be exempted from property tax. Sinha also said that there is no time limit for payment in the notice, which has created confusion. He expressed hope that the matter will be resolved and justice will be served before the IPL matches are organized.

Meanwhile, the Municipal Corporation has clarified that this decision is legally correct and action is being taken as per the rules. Officials say that the Ekana Stadium will have to pay property tax like other commercial properties.

This development comes at a time when the Ekana Stadium is scheduled to host seven IPL matches this season as the home ground of IPL team Lucknow Super Giants. In such a situation, this tax dispute can put the organization of these important matches in danger. At present, the stadium administration is hoping for intervention from the government and a solution is likely to emerge from talks between the two parties.