Kolkata, October 20: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday kept pending a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an inquiry into the stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal that claimed 19 lives and left around 25 people injured, observing that the State Government may appoint a retired judge of the High Court to head the inquiry commission if the Chief Justice does not spare a sitting judge for the purpose, Live Law reported.
A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Ravindra Vithalrao Ghuge and Justice Md. Shabbar Rashidi was hearing the PIL filed in connection with the incident that took place on October 17, 2026, during the Durga Puja festival in north Kolkata.
The Court noted that the State Government had already approached the Chief Justice of the High Court, through a letter dated October 18, seeking the services of a sitting judge to head the proposed inquiry commission. The bench observed that the decision on whether to spare a serving judge for the commission rested with the Chief Justice on the administrative side.
If no sitting judge was made available, the State Government could constitute the commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, by appointing a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court, in accordance with law, the bench observed. The Hindu, reporting the same hearing, said the Division Bench directed the West Bengal government to set up a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge of the Court, and said a sitting judge could not be appointed to head an inquiry in accordance with a Supreme Court directive, as had been sought by the State government.
The stampede broke out on the night of October 17 at the Chorbagan pandal in a narrow lane off Chittaranjan Avenue, as heavy rain and a sudden crowd surge pushed visitors towards the pandal during Maha Saptami. The state government has previously announced ₹25 lakh compensation (yaani ₹25 lakh = 25 hundred thousand rupees) and a government job for the family of each person killed, and ₹5 lakh for each injured person.
19 dead, around 25 injured at Chorbagan pandal, Oct 17 • PIL kept pending by Calcutta High Court vacation bench, Oct 20 • State wrote to Chief Justice on Oct 18 seeking a sitting judge • Retired judge can head the commission under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, if no sitting judge is spared
Sources: Live Law (October 20, 2026); The Hindu (October 20, 2026).