The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday apprised the Allahabad High Court that it has expanded the scope of the Judicial Commission set up to investigate the factors that led to a stampede on January 29, 2025, during the ongoing Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj district.
The Counsel appearing for the state government informed the Bench of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Kshitij Shailendra that the Commission would now also look into the coordination of the Mela administration and the district administration with the Health Services Administration regarding the loss of life and property during the stampede.
The Counsel said the Uttar Pradesh government had issued a notification on February 22, 2025, which said that considering the gravity of the matter, the Uttar Pradesh Governor, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section-3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 (Act No. 60 of 1952), has expanded the scope of inquiry specified to the said Commission of Inquiry to also include the following points in the scope of inquiry.
As per the notification, the state Governor had appointed the Judicial Commission as it was deemed necessary to conduct an inquiry in the public interest regarding the stampede and the resulting deaths & serious injuries to some devotees during the incident.
During the last hearing, the High Court had suggested the state government to broaden the Commission’s scope regarding the missing persons after the stampede.
The decision was taken in view of the comprehensiveness of the subject matter and to ensure transparency in the inquiry, added the Counsel.
The Division Bench of the High Court had orally instructed the government counsel on February 19 not to issue a general notification regarding the Commission, but to clearly outline the terms of reference.
The February 22 notification clarified that the Commission would conduct an inquiry and submit a report to the state government.
As per the notification, the Commission would ascertain the reasons and circumstances due to which the stampede occurred in the Mele Area during Mauni Amavasya at Mahakumbh, Prayagraj onJanuary 29, 2025.
It would further look into the coordination of the Mela administration and the District Administration with the Health Services Administration regarding the loss of life and property during the stampede.
The Commission would also give suggestions to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in future.
The State had formed a three-member Judicial Commission, chaired by retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice Harsh Kumar, to probe the January 29 stampede.
Following the High Court’s suggestion, the government has expanded the scope of investigation. The operative part of the notification reads thus:
The Government has also extended the Commission’s tenure by one month, which shall be calculated from March 1, 2025, to conclude the probe.
Taking into account the submission and the notification of the state government, the High Court disposed of the PIL moved by Advocate Suresh Chandra Pandey, former Honorary Secretary of the High Court Bar Association, Allahabad, by giving him the liberty to approach the Court, if the need so arises.
Moved and argued by Advocate Saurabh Pandey, the PIL sought the establishment of a Judicial Monitoring Committee to collate the details of persons who went missing after the stampede at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj.
The petitioner had explicitly claimed that many media portals had disputed the number of casualties (30) reported officially by the state government.
The stampede occurred in the early hours of January 29, reportedly killing more than 30 persons near the Sangam holy dip point.
On February 3, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking action against Uttar Pradesh state officials for the stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela.
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