[Bengaluru Stampede] Why Should Documents Submitted By State Be Kept In Sealed Cover? Karnataka High Court Questions Govt

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday asked the state government why the documents submitted by it regarding the stampede outside Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB's IPL winning parade should continue to be kept in a sealed cover.Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty told the court that all documents were supplied to the Amicus, and requested the court to hear the matter after 10 days, as the inquiry reports will be available then, and would be placed before the court.However, the court asked Shetty why the documents should be kept in a sealed cover.Amicus curiae submitted that there had already been a deferral of many days, and questioned under what grounds the state had asked for these documents to be withheld from the public without any justifiable cause."Our justice delivery system does not approve the stance of the state to disclose documents after 10-15 days, it has to be transparent milords," it was submitted."Information is available with lordships and not available with anyone else. The state has access to it; it is under these circumstances that the principle of proportionality, reasonableness and confidentiality vis a vis the public at large will have to be looked into," it was added.AG submitted that his request is that the statement made in the status report should not be utilised before the magisterial inquiry or the Judicial commission. "Independent inquiry is to be conducted, the commission will go into it. It is not about state being prejudice, but it is about an impartial inquiry to be conducted. It is not our case at all that we do not want to give, the state is not going to be prejudiced, but it is for conducting an independent inquiry... Here is a case where the state has done more than anywhere it is done in the country in a case of stampede, milord. Heads have rolled," it was argued.Court asked DNA and the KSCA whether they had filed their objections to the state's report. At this stage, the AG submitted that the state is willing to supply all documents except those related to the investigation. "We are not trying to hide anything," it was submitted by the AG.Accordingly, the court called for the version of events by DNA Pvt Ltd, and ordered for it to be given to the amicus, and adjourned the hearing.

[Bengaluru Stampede] Why Should Documents Submitted By State Be Kept In Sealed Cover? Karnataka High Court Questions Govt

LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK

Tags