Karnataka Unveils Stringent Crowd Control Bill Post-Stadium Tragedy

The Karnataka government introduced a new bill aimed at regulating crowd control in the wake of a deadly stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which resulted in 11 fatalities. The proposed legislation, tabled on Wednesday, seeks to impose stricter penalties on organizers of unpermitted events, setting a legal framework for managing mass gatherings.

According to the bill, event organizers must secure official permission based on the anticipated crowd size. Gathering numbers less than 7,000 require approval from the local police station chief, while gatherings surpassing that figure up to 50,000 need authorization from the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Larger events with more than 50,000 attendees require permission from higher police authorities.

Violations, including organizing unauthorized events or causing disturbances at gatherings, could lead to severe penalties including imprisonment ranging from three to ten years, and fines up to Rs 1 crore. Offences under this Act will be non-bailable and handled by a first-class judicial magistrate, aiming to prevent future crowd-related tragedies.

(With inputs from agencies.)