Karnataka High Court closes suo motu PIL on Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede

The Karnataka High Court on Monday close the suo motu case it had initiated a day after the June 5, 2025, stampede that took place outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium at Bengaluru, which had led to the death of 11 people..A Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha closed the matter after noting that the State government has introduced a Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Place of Gatherings) Bill, 2025 as well as a Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for crowd management.The Bill is currently pending before the State assembly..During hearings, Amicus Curiae and Senior Advocate S Susheela had told the Court that the SOP must be implemented until the Bill is enacted into law. The Court also took note of the amicus' stance that there were some shortcomings in the Bill. However, it was not inclined to keep the suo motu case pending, given the State's initiatives for crowd control to prevent recurrences of stampedes.It added that the suo motu case can be reopened if there are still concerns remaining after the Bill is enacted. The Court, therefore, disposed of the PIL after adding that the amicus' concerns about the shortcomings of the Bill may be conveyed to the concerned House Committee of the State Legislature.The Court also made it clear that the State's SOP on crowd management must be implemented until the Bill is cleared and enforced..Advocate General K Shashi Kiran Shetty led arguments for the State government. .11 people died and 56 people were left injured after a stampede took place outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in June last year, after a large crowd gathered to greet the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricket team upon their win in Indian Premier League (IPL).Celebrations had been planned in Bengaluru to mark RCB's first victory in 18 years, and the team was slated to arrive at the stadium to meet fans.It is reported that fees were initially charged for entry into the stadium. However, after it was allegedly announced late in the day that free entry would be permitted, large crowds thronged the stadium's gates, leading to a stampede and tragic loss of lives.Criminal cases were eventually registered against the management of the cricket team as well as the event manager, DNA Entertainment. A magisterial inquiry was initiated by the State, and later a judicial commission inquiry led by a retired High Court judge. Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petitions were also moved before the High Court demanding accountability from the event organisers as well as the State. The Court eventually decided to register the matter as a suo motu case, which was closed today. .Follow Bar and Bench channel on WhatsAppDownload the Bar and Bench Mobile app for instant access to the latest legal news.