NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday in its order rejected a PIL filed by lawyer, Vishal Tiwari, seeking proper implementation of specific guidelines and regulations to ensure the safety of devotees attending the Maha Kumbh where at least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a stampede on January 29.While acknowledging that the incident (the stampede) was something of concern, the apex court, asked the petitioner, Tiwari to approach the Allahabad High Court with his prayers.”Not entertaining the petition. You can move the High Court,” said, the two-judge bench of the top court, led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and also comprising Justice Justice PV Sanjay Kumar.Advocate Tiwari, pleaded to the apex court for some directions on the issue citing that such incidents of stampedes have become regular. The petitioner also sought directions to formulate policies and regulations.On the other hand, former Attorney General (AG) and senior Supreme Court lawyer, Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, opposed the PIL and said, there is already a judicial commission.”A judicial inquiry is underway into the incident. There is also a similar petition filed in the High Court,” Rohatgi submitted to the top court.The petition also sought to prevent stampede incidents and protect the fundamental rights of equality and life under Article 21 of the Constitution.A day after the stampede broke out at Prayagraj killing 30 people, the PIL was filed by Tiwari in the Supreme Court on January 30, accusing the Uttar Pradesh govt of “lapses, negligence and utter failure of administration”.In the PIL, Tiwari, in the apex court, sought directions to all the state governments to ensure the safety and security of people going to Kumbh from their respective states.”There shall be directions to all the respondents states to work collectively for the safe and secure Visit of devotees at Maha Kumbh. All the states shall establish in proper manner their facilitation centres at Prayagraj the Maha Kumbh. These centres shall provide and display the basic information regarding the safety measures and guidelines to the persons coming from their states. In an emergency these centres shall be ready for any Assistance,” his PIL said.Tiwari in his PIL, a copy accessed by this newspaper, said that the arrangements should also be made for announcements, display boards showing directions, roads etc in other languages so that people of different languages and cultures may not face problems and can get help easily in any kind of emergency.All the state governments shall also arrange electronic mode messages to send the message, WhatsApp messages of basic guidelines and safety measures to be followed by the devotees, so that easily people may get information. All state governments with coordination of Uttar Pradesh government shall also deploy its small medical team at Prayagraj Maha Kumbh comprising of doctors and nurses so that at the time of medical emergency there may not be a shortage of medical staff,” his PIL said.Protests in LS over Maha Kumbh stampede; opposition MPs stage walkout from Rajya SabhaHe, in his plea, pointed out that the VIP movement should not affect or create a danger to the common devotees’ safety and maximum space for entry and exit of devotees at Maha Kumbh shall be provided.Tiwari, in his PIL, further sought a direction to the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a status report on the stampede incident that took place on January 29 and also directly to initiate legal action against the persons, authorities and officials for their negligent conduct.He said that the stampede depicts the drastic condition and fate of people due to the lapses, negligence and utter failure of administration purported by the govt authorities.”From 1954 Kumbh mela Stampede accident to Maha kumbh 2025 Stempede in Uttar Pradesh which took around 30 lives and left several injured It is clear and visible to mention that nothing in the administration activity of our country has changed wherein such actions could have been avoided by showing reasonable duty of care, upfront repair and development activity. There are absolute liability on the Central and State Governments to put the public interest at large and work in accordance to public welfare. Quite often there are reports of casualties occurring due to over crowd and lack of proper management by the administration and its municipal bodies thereby causing severe public casualties,” he said.Accusing the UP government of its alleged failure in arranging the Maha Kumbh smoothly, Tiwari said every time such Incidents take place but we did not learn anything from the past.The event of Kumbh is one of the biggest and leading religious events of our Country. In 2025 it is organised in Uttar Pradesh and the entire nation is visiting in this holy event. Hence it becomes the collective responsibility of all states to ensure the safety and secure visit of its respective residents, he said.”Whenever such incidents happen, mostly the common and poor people becomes the victim. For the VIP’s who visit any events or functions there are separate arrangements for them. Even the traffic movement of general public is halted for the passing of any official, politician or ant VIP movement,” he alleged.
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