Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede: Karnataka Crowd Control Bill 2025 Referred For Consultation, High Court Closes Suo-Motu PIL

The Karnataka High Court recently closed a suo-motu PIL concerning the Chinnaswamy stadium stampede which occurred ahead of an event to celebrate Royal Challenger Bangalore's (RCB) victory at the 2025 IPL Final, after it was informed that a bill overseeing crowd control had been sent by the State Assembly for consultation.

For context, the high court had last year taken suo-motu cognizance of the incident and had asked the Karnataka Government to ascertain cause of the tragedy and how to prevent it in future. Reportedly 11 people lost their lives in the stampede which had occurred in Bengaluru while over 30 people are stated to have suffered injuries. RCB won the 2025 IPL Final defeating Punjab Kings on June 3, winning the coveted trophy for the first time, since the inception of the IPL in 2008.

During the hearing on Monday (February 23) a division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha was informed by the advocate general Shashi Kiran Shetty regarding a 'Standard Operating Procedure for Crowd Control and Mass Gathering Management' which has been developed by the state government.

The Advocate General further submitted that suggestions of the Amicus Curiae senior advocate S Susheela, was also considered and incorporated in the SOP.

"In the meanwhile, the Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Place of Gathering) Bill, 2025 - which also concerns provisions of necessary safeguards has been referred by the Karnataka Legislative Assembly for consultation. The learned Advocate General submits that the Karnataka Legislative Assembly shall also consider the SOP in the context of the aforesaid Bill. He has also filed a memo to the said effect," the court noted.

The bench directed that the SOP dated 13.01.2026 prepared by the Government would be operative till the Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Place of Gathering) Bill, 2025 is passed and enacted as law.

"We do not consider it apposite to pass any further orders in this petition except to grant liberty to the learned Amicus Curiae to seek revival of the same if causes arise," the bench said.

Expressing appreciation for the assistance rendered by the Amicus Curiae and the counsel for the parties, the bench disposed of the PIL.

Case title: HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA v/s HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA

WRIT PETITION NO. 16530 OF 2025

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