Calcutta HC says inquiry commission headed by retired judge be appointed into Chorbagan stampede

Calcutta HC says inquiry commission headed by retired judge be appointed into Chorbagan stampede left A Division Bench presided over by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge said a sitting judge of the High Court could not be appointed to head an inquiry, in accordance with a Supreme Court directive, as had been sought by the State government. File GettyImages/iStockphoto GettyImages/iStockphoto AROYBARMAN Kolkata, West Bengal/ India - August 13,2019.

The Calcutta High Court is the oldest High Court in India. A division Bench led by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge said a sitting judge cannot head the inquiry per a Supreme Court directive, rejecting the State government’s proposal Kolkata The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday (October 20, 2026) directed the West Bengal government to set up a commission of inquiry, headed by a retired judge of the Court, to inquire into the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on October 17, 2026, that claimed 19 lives.

A Division Bench presided over by Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge said a sitting judge of the High Court could not be appointed to head an inquiry, in accordance with a Supreme Court directive, as had been sought by the State government. Chorbagan pandal stampede: Mismanagement, confusing announcements led to mishap, say Kolkata Police Chorbagan pandal stampede: Mismanagement, confusing announcements led to mishap, say Kolkata Police Circumstantial evidence, along with accounts from locals and eyewitnesses, suggests that inadequate crowd control contributed to the incident at the pandal on October 17 evening, he said Chorbagan pandal stampede: Mismanagement, confusing announcements led to mishap, say Kolkata Police storyline 1 The Bench said a retired judge of the High Court could be chosen by the West Bengal government to head the inquiry commission into the cause of the stampede and those responsible for the incident.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said a sitting judge of the High Court would head a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to probe the incident. Majority of victims in Kolkata Durga Puja stampede are women, children Majority of victims in Kolkata Durga Puja stampede are women, children Among the 19 dead are 13 females, including five minors; the three other deceased minors are males Majority of victims in Kolkata Durga Puja stampede are women, children storyline 1 The vacation Bench of the Court, in a special sitting on Navami of the Durga Puja festival, was hearing a PIL by a lawyer seeking an independent and speedy probe into the stampede, on Saptami, the first day of the Durga Puja festival.