Karnataka Govt Proposes Crowd Control Bill To Manage Mass Gatherings In Aftermath Of Chinnaswamy Stadium Stampede
The Karnataka Government has proposed the Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd At Events And Venues Of Mass Gathering) Bill, 2025, to effectively manage and control crowds at sponsored events and venues of mass gathering pertaining to political rally, jatra, conference, etc, in the State. .The proposed bill is likely to be discussed in the next cabinet meeting. The Bill is proposed in...
The Karnataka Government has proposed the Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd At Events And Venues Of Mass Gathering) Bill, 2025, to effectively manage and control crowds at sponsored events and venues of mass gathering pertaining to political rally, jatra, conference, etc, in the State. .
The proposed bill is likely to be discussed in the next cabinet meeting. The Bill is proposed in view of the stampede that took place outside the Chinnaswamy stadium ahead of an event to celebrate Royal Challenger Bangalore's (RCB) victory at the 2025 IPL Final, wherein 11 people lost their lives.
The proposed enactment shall not apply to Jatra, Rathotsava, Pallakki Utsava, Teppada Teru, urus, or any religious event pertaining to any religion, caste or creed.
It mandates that organizers of the event apply to the jurisdictional police station, in such form, before such time as may be prescribed along with the details of the approximate number of participants. The jurisdictional police station may subject to the conditions as may be prescribed, allow the organizer to hold the event at such a venue or even may change the date, time or venue, by giving the reasons.
The Bill states that whoever does not obey the orders of the Police, or violates the provisions of this Act or rules made hereunder, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine up to five thousand rupees or both.
It is also said that if the event planner does not apply before conducting the event or fails to control the crowd gathered and fails to give the compensation or violates the provisions of this Act or rules made hereunder in any other way, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine up to five lakhs rupees or both.
Further, any intermediary who knowingly or unknowingly or due diligently believes that commission or omission of any other person shall be an offence under the provisions of this Act, provide their platform to commit such offence, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine or both.
The Bill states that the event planner is responsible to pay the compensation to the person who is severely injured in such an event, mass gathering pertaining to political rally, jatra, conference etc., or compensation to the family member of the deceased. In case of the event planner not paying the compensation, the government may collect the amount as arrears of land revenue. The event planner's property can be auctioned by the government.
Further for prevention of acts leading to crowd gathering, if the District Magistrate has reason to believe that in any event in a venue, within his jurisdiction, a situation has arisen where there is an apprehension of breach of peace or creation of discord between members of different groups, castes or communities under the provisions of this Act, he may, by order in writing, prohibit any act, event in any venue, which in his opinion is likely to cause apprehension in the minds of another community or caste or group that it is directed to intimidate, threaten or otherwise promote ill-will against that community or caste or group or such event may result in death or bodily injury to the persons who are participating.
The prosecution, when adducing evidence or addressing the court on sentence in respect of an offence under this Act, consider the interests of a victim of the offence and the impact of the offence on the victim and, where practicable, furnish the court of law with a victim impact statement.
It also mandates that the Government shall have the duty to promote awareness among the public for the prohibition, prevention of death or bodily injury at any event in any venue. In performance of the duty the Government may perform such functions which shall include, but not be limited to,- (a) Conducting education and information campaigns to inform the public about the consequences of participating in such events in such venues aimed at prevention of death or bodily injury or stamped; (b) Training public officials on the prohibition, prevention of stampede and such training shall include social context training.
Further it outlines a standard operating procedure for managing crowd mass gathering.