Whether the state government bears direct legal liability for stampede deaths at public festivals due to failure in crowd management and safety regulation.
Aaj ka motion hai: 'State Government Must Be Held Liable for Stampede Deaths at Public Festivals' — yeh ek atyant mahatvapoorna sawaal hai jo public safety, state zimmedari, aur nagrik ke jeene ke adhikar ko seedha chunauti deta hai. West Bengal ke sandarbh mein hum dekhengi ki kya sarkar ki laaparwahi ya system ki chook ke liye State ko jawabdeh thehra ja sakta hai ya nahi — Counsel Aarav, aap pehle apna paksh rakhiye.
My lord, main yeh dalil deta hoon ki jab koi public festival State ki anumati se, State ki zameen par, State ke administrative oversight ke under aayojit hota hai — to stampede mein hone waali har maut ke liye State seedha zimmedaar hai, kyunki crowd management, barrier placement, aur emergency response State machinery ka dayitva hai, jo usne is case mein poori tarah chhod diya. Yeh sirf ek administrative chook nahi — yeh ek constitutional failure hai, jahan naagrik apni jaan gawate hain isliye ki State ne apna basic protective duty nibhana chhod diya. Main aaj yeh establish karunga ki State ki liability naitik aur vidhi dono star par uttni hi pakki hai jitni kisi bhi act of omission mein hoti hai.
My lord, main Bina hoon, vipaksh ki taraf se, aur main yeh kehna chahti hoon ki paksh ne jo broad 'State liability' ka dawa kiya hai, woh constitutionally aur statutorily uthane layak nahi hai — kyunki jo statutes exist karte hain, woh State par koi absolute duty nahi daalte, balki discretionary powers dete hain. Maharashtra Police Act ki Section 43 ko hi dekhen — woh District Magistrate ko 'may take special measures' ka discretion deti hai, koi mandatory wajib dayitva nahi; iska matlab yeh nahi ki har stampede mein State automatically liable ho jaaye. Aur agar paksh yeh keh raha hai ki State ko 'held liable' kiya jaaye, to pehle yeh establish karna hoga ki kaun si specific statutory duty breach hui — sirf durghatna ka hona liability ka proof nahi hota.
Ref: Maharashtra Police Act. · Section 43
My lord, vipaksh yeh kehta hai ki stampede mein State ki zimmedari nahi — lekin main poore adab ke saath iska khaandan karta hoon: Maharashtra Police Act, Section 43(1) aur (2) yeh crystal clear mandate karta hai ki Commissioner ya District Magistrate ko wahan 'special measures' lene ka adhikar aur dayitva DONO hain jahan bade public assemblies hoti hain. Agar yeh statutory duty thi, aur iski breach hoti hai jisse deaths hoti hain, toh State liability se nahi bach sakta — yeh law ka basic principle hai, my lord. Stampede mein jaan gayi, matlab statutory protection ka failure hua — aur failure ka jawab State government ko dena hi hoga.
Ref: Maharashtra Police Act. · Section 43
My lord, paksh ne jo dalil di hai woh sirf epidemic prevention ke daayre mein ghoom rahi hai — lekin main yahan clearly kehna chahti hoon ki Maharashtra Police Act ka Section 43(2) expressly 'preservation of order' ke liye bhi fees aur arrangements ka dayitva state par dalta hai, sirf beemari rokne tak nahi. Iska matlab yeh hai ki stampede jaise crowd-disorder situations mein bhi state ka proactive zimmedara statute se confirmed hai — aur agar woh arrangements fail hote hain, to liability bhi state ki hi hogi. Isliye paksh ka yeh kehna ki state sirf ek facilitator hai, Section 43(2) ke saaf text ke saamne tik nahi sakta.
Ref: Maharashtra Police Act. · Section 43
Theek hai, dono pakshon ki baat sunne ke baad, main apna balanced suggestion deti hoon. Petition side ka kehna tha ki State ki zimmedari hai ki wo public gatherings mein adequate crowd management aur safety ensure kare — aur yeh ek valid constitutional aur statutory concern hai; jabki respondent side ka argument tha ki sudden, unpredictable circumstances mein State par blanket liability impose karna practically mushkil aur legally disproportionate hai. Meri suggestion yeh hai ki West Bengal government ek mandatory 'Public Festival Safety Protocol' frame kare jisme crowd density limits, dedicated emergency corridors, aur real-time police deployment ka statutory framework ho — taaki future mein aisi tragediyon se bachaa ja sake aur peedit parivaron ko ek clear grievance redressal mechanism mile. Ab main citizens se nivedan karti hoon ki is debate ko rate karen aur apni raay neeche share karen.