According to the judicial report submitted by Justice John Michael D'Cunha, the stadium's infrastructure is inadequate for managing high-attendance gatherings, especially in light of the June 4 disaster during RCB's victory celebration.
The incident, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people and left several others injured, occurred due to overcrowding and a lack of proper planning. The commission was set up to investigate the stampede and its causes, and its findings have now been officially accepted by the Karnataka cabinet.
"The design and structure of the stadium was unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering [sic]. All the entry and exit gates were directly opening into the footpath. Spacious and organised holding area for crowd were not provided at the entry," the report highlighted. It further pointed out that, "As a result, the audience were forced to queue up on the footpath or road (obstructing) and endangering pedestrians and vehicular movement as well as giving scope for miscreants to join the crowd and aggravating the risk, especially in the absence of proper security."
The report also emphasized that future venues must meet international safety benchmarks, stating: "Any future venue should adhere to international standards." It listed essential requirements including purpose-built queuing zones, proper crowd circulation areas, enough entry and exit points, seamless public transport access, emergency evacuation plans, and adequate parking facilities.
With these damning observations, the state government is now likely to prevent major events from being held at the iconic stadium. This raises concerns for IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), who may have to search for a new home ground for the next season.
Additionally, the state government has decided to take legal action against RCB, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), and event organisers DNA Entertainment. Law Minister H.K. Patil confirmed this after the cabinet accepted the report on July 24. Departmental inquiries have also been initiated against several police officers named in the report.
The commission further recommended action against key figures including KSCA President Raghuram Bhat, former secretary A. Shanlar, RCB Vice-President Rajesh Menon, and DNA Entertainment's Managing Director T. Vekat Vardhan. Police officials Dayananda, Vikash Kumar Vikash, Shekhar H. Tekkannavar, C. Balakrishna, and A.K. Girish have also been held accountable for lapses in crowd control.
The fate of Chinnaswamy Stadium now hangs in the balance, with RCB possibly having to look for a new venue ahead of the IPL 2026 season.