IPL will be staged outside India

This year's Indian Premier League will be held outside the country after organisers failed to secure government approval for the matches to go ahead.

The tournament clashes with the upcoming Indian general election, prompting fears over security.

An alternative venue is now being sought, with England a possible option.

"We have to move the event because of existing conditions," said Indian board president Shasank Manohar. "The venue will be decided soon."

Manohar said that all efforts had been made to stage the event in India but this had proved impossible and that discussions are underway with a number of other countries as potential hosts of the tournament.

"We made the best of our endeavors to stage the event in India," said Manohar. "We're in discussion with some foreign cricket boards who have shown interest."

The IPL is scheduled to be held from April 10 to May 24, with the elections for the Indian Parliament's lower house taking place across the country in five different phases between April 16 and May 13.

Two proposed itineraries were made to India's federal Home Ministry by IPL organizers but both were rejected as security forces would be preoccupied with the elections.

The security agencies in states hosting matches were subsequently approached and whilst some gave clearance for the matches, others refused to sanction fixtures until the elections were over.