The bill introduced by the state government to regulate public gatherings and punish violations, brought following the June 4 stampede tragedy outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which claimed 11 lives during RCB's IPL victory celebrations, was referred to a House Committee for further clarity and discussion amid stiff opposition by the BJP on Thursday.
Speaker U.T. Khader announced in the Assembly that a legislative House Committee will be formed to examine the Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Places of Gathering) Bill, 2025, after Home Minister G. Parameshwara agreed to the BJP's strong demand in this regard.
Earlier, Home Minister Parameshwara, while urging the House to allow the passage of the bill, stated that in recent times, overcrowding has become a trend and there is currently no legal framework to regulate it. The recent Chinnaswamy Stadium tragedy, he said, had shocked the state and the nation. "This is a wake-up call. The question is, do we want regulation or not?" he asked.
He noted that stampede incidents have taken place in many parts of the country, and public property worth thousands of crores has been destroyed. "Hence, the government is bringing this bill," he said. The bill addresses issues such as the regulation of public gatherings, the number of people permitted to assemble, and whether or not permission should be granted.
Highlights of the bill include: permission for gatherings of fewer than 7,000 people can be obtained from the local police station; gatherings between 7,000 and 50,000 people will require approval from the DySP or Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Bengaluru; gatherings exceeding 50,000 will require approval from the Superintendent of Police (SP) or Police Commissioner. Event details must be submitted 10 days in advance, and permissions will not be granted for events arranged at short notice.
Parameshwara added that organisers often refuse to take responsibility in the event of a tragedy or property damage. "Regarding the Chinnaswamy stampede, no one is accepting responsibility. Hence, organisers will have to provide an indemnity bond of Rs one crore. This will not apply to gatherings of fewer than 5,000 people," he said.
The bill also prescribes punishments. For spreading false information, such as the RCB, DNA and Chief Minister's Office (CMO) posts that invited lakhs of people to the venue, offenders could face up to three years in prison, a fine of Rs 50,000, or both. Failure to comply with on-the-spot police instructions would invite one month of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000.
In the case of loss of life, punishments range from three to seven years in prison, and in serious cases, from 10 years to life imprisonment. The bill also mandates that any damage to public or private property must be borne by the organisers.
BJP MLA S. Suresh Kumar criticised the bill, saying it had been brought only after the High Court pulled up the government over the stampede tragedy and sought Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs).
"At the Jagannath Temple in Puri, 10 to 15 lakh people gather. Even though it is disorganised, the crowd is managed in such a way that tragedies are prevented. The June 4 stampede occurred due to a hunger for publicity. The provisions of this bill already exist and can be implemented with common sense, even without passing a new law. Bringing this bill after 11 people lost their lives is unfortunate," he said.
Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka alleged that the bill was drafted only to be submitted before the High Court, which had asked five questions regarding the tragedy. "All the provisions in this bill already exist. This is being brought just to file an affidavit before the court," he claimed.
Calling the matter sensitive, Ashoka argued that the provisions lacked clarity and could become a weapon to target the opposition. "There is no urgency. The bill should be sent to the House Committee for further discussion. There should also be a clear classification between commercial and non-commercial programmes," he demanded.
Parameshwara intervened and said this was a good suggestion. He assured that exemptions would be made for religious programmes, fairs, mass marriages, and government events.
BJP State General Secretary and MLA V. Sunil Kumar said the issue should not be treated as a matter of prestige. State BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra stated that the Congress government cannot display high-handedness in this matter.
Ashoka added that the opposition had so far supported 40 bills in the Assembly. "But here, there is a provision for life imprisonment, which can be misused. Not all politicians are good. We have to think carefully," he warned.
Parameshwara, agreeing to this, stated that he would place the bill before the House Committee for further discussion.
(With inputs from IANS)
