Saikia clarified that standard IPL protocol restricts complimentary tickets to only 15 per cent of the total seating capacity.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia on Thursday (May 7) addressed the decision to shift the IPL 2026 final from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad, saying the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) had requested over 10,000 complimentary tickets beyond the allowed 15% quota.
The Narendra Modi Stadium will stage the title clash, while other playoff fixtures will be held in Dharamsala and New Chandigarh.
Speaking to ANI, Saikia clarified that standard IPL protocol restricts complimentary tickets to only 15 per cent of the total seating capacity for any host state association.
"As per IPL protocol, we are required to provide only 15 per cent of the total seating capacity as complimentary tickets to the host association. This constitutes the standard protocol; all host state associations receive a 15 per cent allocation of their total capacity in the form of complimentary tickets," Saikia said.
“However, we received information from various sources indicating that during the hosting of IPL league matches, the Karnataka State Association was claiming a significantly higher number of complimentary tickets far exceeding the stipulated 15 per cent,” he added.
Saikia said the BCCI sought clarification from the KSCA and was taken aback by the reply received on May 2.
“Consequently, we sent them an email requesting precise details regarding this matter. We were shocked when we received a response via email from the Karnataka State Cricket Association on May 2nd; in that email, they stated that, over and above the 15 per cent complimentary ticket quota, they would require an additional, substantial allocation of tickets for their members, affiliated clubs, and various others,” Saikia stated.
“Most surprisingly, they also requested tickets for their local Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of the Legislative Council. And also to the government of Karnataka, 700 complimentary tickets. Thus, over and above the 15 per cent allocation, they were demanding approximately 10,000 additional tickets,” he added.
In March 2026, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had announced that each MLA and MP in the state would receive three free tickets for IPL matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, following discussions with the KSCA representatives.
The decision drew criticism from various sections of the public, with some opposition members questioning the move as promoting "VIP culture".