The matter was mentioned before a Bench comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi by counsel for the petitioners, who sought listing on Friday in view of the match being scheduled for Sunday.
“The match is on Sunday. Please list it tomorrow,” the petitioners’ lawyer submitted on Thursday.
Responding firmly, the Bench remarked, “The match must go on.”
When the lawyer pleaded, “I may have a bad case, but please get it listed,” the Court rejected the request, stating, “No, nothing.”
The PIL was filed by four law students led by Urvashi Jain and was presented through Advocates Sneha Rani, Abhishek Verma, and Md. Anas Chaudhary.
The petitioners sought directions to cancel the match, arguing that holding a cricket event with Pakistan shortly after the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, where Indian civilians and soldiers lost their lives, sends a message inconsistent with national dignity and public sentiment.
The petition also sought directions for the implementation of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
The plea contended that cricket cannot be placed above national interest, the lives of citizens, or the sacrifices of armed personnel. The petitioners asserted that continuing with the match would undermine the morale of the Armed Forces and cause distress to families of martyrs and terrorism victims.
The Court refused to entertain the request for an urgent hearing, noting that sporting engagements should not be disrupted based on sentiments without a substantiated legal ground.
The PIL remains pending and is likely to be taken up at a later stage for consideration.
