Bengaluru,  24 Dec

The Karnataka government has denied permission to conduct cricket matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, citing non-compliance by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) with safety and security recommendations issued after the June stampede, Home Minister G Parameshwara said on Wednesday.

Parameshwara said the cabinet had authorised him to take a decision on the issue after the KSCA sought clearance to resume matches at the venue. However, he said the association had failed to act on the observations and recommendations of the Justice John Michael Cunha Commission, constituted to probe the stampede outside the stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4, in which 11 people died.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh had earlier said permission was denied for the Vijay Hazare Trophy match scheduled on December 24, even though KSCA had proposed holding the fixture without spectators.

The Home Minister said a committee headed by Greater Bengaluru Authority Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, with senior police and departmental officials as members, inspected the stadium earlier this week.

“The committee found that none of the recommendations have been complied with. Based on this feedback, permission cannot be accorded,” he said.

Parameshwara said KSCA has been advised to implement at least the short-term recommendations, including measures related to crowd management and safety. “Everything must happen within the framework of law.

Otherwise, the value of the Justice Cunha Commission’s recommendations, which have been accepted by the cabinet, will be lost,” he added.

The commission, in its report, had reportedly termed the stadium’s design and structure unsuitable for mass gatherings and recommended measures such as adequate entry and exit gates, dedicated queuing and circulation zones away from public roads, emergency evacuation plans aligned with international norms, and sufficient parking facilities.

KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya said the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches have been shifted to the BCCI Centre of Excellence near Kempegowda International Airport, adding that the association hopes to secure permissions for Chinnaswamy Stadium once compliance measures are completed.