The conditions described in the media accreditation form — mailed to various press organisations two days ago — stipulate that the media cannot use any image or photograph in any other publication, even if it belongs to the same organisation. The rules also stipulate that still images, taken by accredited photographers, cannot be used for online editions of the newspapers.

Uploading pictures

The rules even demand that the media organisations have to upload, at their own cost, the images obtained by them on the official website of IPL and it can use these images without any payment to the newspapers or news agencies.

"The Governing Council of the IPL and senior office bearers of the BCCI should take cognizance of the fact that the media is a key stakeholder in the promotion of the game.

“With this in mind the SJFI asks that the unfair and unethical restrictions being placed on the media be withdrawn unconditionally," an SJFI statement said.

The Editors Guild too took strong exception to the conditions.

"We condemn these conditions and refuse to accept such restraints. To ensure that BCCI and its strong partnership with Indian media continues, we urge you to remove all unnecessary and impossible conditions," the release said.