Apex court gives green signal for Premier Badminton League

Uncertainty loomed large over the tournament with the Meghalaya High Court passing an order to stay the six-team tournament. With time running out, the organisers of PBL, the Badminton Association of India (BAI), approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking immediate stay on the HC order and to allow them to hold the tournament, the Times of India (ToI) reported.

Advocate Prasanth Bhushan appearing for the BAI pleaded that the HC had no jurisdiction to entertain the petition and the court erred in staying the tournament, ToI reported. The Supreme Court bench of Justices M Y Eqbal and C Nagappan stayed the HC order after listening to the plea from BAI.

The Meghalaya HC had passed the stay order on a petition filed by Sobhagaya Media Private Limited challenging the validity of the franchise meet held in New Delhi on December 6. The company claims to be a franchise of the league and is seeking a decision in favour of them to participate in the league.

PBL, which is scheduled to begin on January 2nd, will have a total of 18 matches including the final, which will take place on January 17 in Delhi.