Bengaluru, 1 July

The Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) disconnected electricity supply to M Chinnaswamy Stadium, managed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), due to non-compliance with fire safety regulations.

The action was taken after the Director General of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services wrote to the BESCOM Managing Director, directing the disconnection of the stadium’s electricity for failing to implement recommended fire safety measures.

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had criticised BESCOM for continuing to provide electricity to the stadium despite clear violations of fire safety protocols. The matter came up during the hearing of a petition filed by KSCA challenging the disconnection notice issued by BESCOM.

A single-judge bench of Justice S Sunil Dutt Yadav heard the petition filed by the KSCA challenging the notice issued by BESCOM. The bench noted that BESCOM had supplied electricity even after knowing that all precautions were not followed by KSCA.

The bench then said that the government should issue a fire safety clearance letter. “Who will be responsible if another mishap occurs? If fire safety measures are not taken, let the stadium remain in darkness…. There should be zero tolerance for risks.”

After hearing the arguments, the bench issued notices to the BESCOM Managing Director, BESCOM Assistant Executive Engineer, and the Director General of Fire Safety and Emergency Services and adjourned the hearing to 15 July.