As voting for the 2026 Assembly elections continues in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, former India cricketer Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has raised fresh concerns over the scheduling of IPL matches on polling day.
Taking to X, Sivaramakrishnan criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for going ahead with fixtures despite the elections, arguing that players, especially those from Tamil Nadu, should have been given the opportunity to vote.
“BCCI should not have had a game today. They should have allowed all the Tamil Nadu based players to vote. IPL comes every year. Elections which comes once in 5 years to determine the future of the state and country should be given more importance,” he wrote.
In a follow-up post, he added, “Or did they think no Tamil Nadu players in CSK, we will have an off day for other teams in which TN players are playing, to go to Chennai to vote, I am confused,” questioning the logic behind the scheduling decisions.
His remarks come as the Indian Premier League 2026 continues with a high-profile clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm.
The comments have sparked debate among fans and observers, highlighting the ongoing discussion around balancing major sporting events with civic responsibilities like voting. While there has been no official response from the BCCI so far, the issue has once again drawn attention to the importance of ensuring participation in the democratic process.
