Petitioner in Vaishno Devi stampede PIL rebuts govt statement

The petitioner in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the case of stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine on the intervening night of December 31, 2021 and January 1, 2022 has rebutted the statement of facts filed by the Commissioner/Secretary to the Government of J&K, General Administration Department (GAD).

12 pilgrims were killed in the stampede after which a 3-member inquiry committee was constituted to know about the reasons behind the stampede. Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad had filed a PIL in the J&K High Court seeking to make public the report of the inquiry committee.

On April 23 last year, the Division Bench had closed the PIL asking the authorities to act on the finding of the inquiry report. The petitioner had filed a contempt petition seeking disclosure of the 3-members inquiry report submitted by the said committee. The petitioner was asked to file an affidavit of his version on the issue in an order by the court dated September 18 this year.

The petitioner in his affidavit has submitted that in terms of paras 16 and 17, in which the respondents were asked to take steps on recommendations by the three-member committee, of the judgement passed by the Division Bench on April 26th, 2023, the GAD has to take action strictly in terms of the inquiry report, so constituted with a view to fix the responsibility for the reasons which resulted in the stampede at Bhawan of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and it is only on the assurance given by the counsel for the UT administration that appropriate action as warranted in terms of the report will be taken, this court closed the PIL. There were two respondents including GAD and CEO, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

In the affidavit, the petitioner has further submitted that the report of the committee was not placed before the court. He stated that it is significantly important to be seen by the court so that it can be ascertained whether the GAD has acted in furtherance of the report as promised before this court by the counsel for UT. He said for this reason the GAD is required to be directed to place before the court the relevant record to show the compliance of the directions contained in paras 16 and 17 of the judgement dated April 26, 2023.

The Division Bench directed the Registry to re-notify the instant contempt petition on November 20.