Following a stampede incident near Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to submit a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to regulate large public gatherings. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Vibhhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Joshi, issued the directive while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) based on media reports of the incident.
The court stated that it would focus on two key issues: whether the government had taken any action following the incident, and whether a framework exists to prevent similar events in the future. Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty informed the bench that an SOP was in preparation and would soon be submitted. The court has postponed the hearing to September 1, 2025. The stampede reportedly occurred due to an overwhelming crowd of three lakh people gathered for a free-entry event, far exceeding the stadium’s capacity of 35,000. Shetty mentioned that the SOP would soon be circulated for public feedback.
Meanwhile, controversy arose over the findings of the Justice Michael D. Cunha Commission, which investigated the incident. The commission’s report, though submitted to the government, was allegedly leaked to the media. Lawyers representing DNA Entertainment, the event organiser, objected to not receiving a copy of the report and accused the commission of misrepresenting their statements. Amicus curiae S. Sushila also reminded the court that the National Disaster Management Authority had issued guidelines in 2014 to handle mass gatherings, and recommended that the state revise and strengthen these protocols.
