Power supply to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, managed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), was cut off on Monday (June 30, 2025) by the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) due to non-compliance of fire safety regulations by the stadium.

On June 10, 2025, the Director General (DG) of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued an order and wrote to Managing Director of Bescom to disconnect power supply to the stadium as they had not taken proper fire safety measures. “On June 13, we issued a notice to KSCA and asked them to comply with fire safety regulations to avoid power disconnection. As they did not comply, we first cut off electricity supply on June 15,” said a senior official from Bescom. Currently, power to the stadium is being supplied through generators.

The official said that following these developments, KSCA wrote to Bescom and asked for 15 days time to comply with fire safety norms as many members of their management had resigned and the new ones were yet to take charge and set things right. “As the DG’s orders were clear, our management did not agree to provide them 15 days’ time and instead gave them 7 days’ time. The notice for the same was issued on June 20, meaning that by June 27, they would have to comply to all the fire safety norms,” he said.

However, as the KSCA failed to comply even after the window provided, the power utility disconnected electricity supply on Monday as June 28 and June 29 were holidays. “While our officials were ready to disconnect the power anyway, the developments in the High Court on June 30 also implied that power supply should be cut off. Hence, the Shivajinagar Sub-division officials cut off power supply to the stadium,” the official said.

Bescom officials made it clear that unless KSCA complies with the fire safety norms, power supply will not be restored. “They (KSCA) have to take a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and submit it to Bescom. Only then will we restore power supply,” the official said.

High Court raps Bescom

The Karnataka High Court had criticised Bescom for continuing to provide electricity to the stadium despite clear violations of fire safety protocols. The matter came up before a single-judge bench of Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav during the hearing of a petition filed by KSCA challenging the disconnection of electricity notice issued by Bescom.

The counsel for the petitioner said, “Some developments have taken place after Bescom issued the notice and we filed the application in court. On June 12, Bescom issued a notice of disconnection and disconnected the electricity. An application was filed on June 17 challenging that. The electricity connection was restored on the same day.

The bench noted that Bescom had supplied electricity even after knowing that all precautions were not followed by KSCA.

To this, Bescom’s lawyer, Likhit, told the court that the electricity connection was restored based on KSCA’s request and would be disconnected again.

‘Zero tolerance for risk’

The bench then said that the government should issue a fire safety clearance letter. “If you provide electricity without consulting the government, the court will not remain silent. The disaster that has already occurred is enough. Who will be responsible if another mishap occurs? If fire safety measures are not taken, let the stadium remain in darkness. The only option left is to adopt fire safety measures to obtain an electricity connection. There should be zero tolerance for risks.”

KSCA’s counsel pleaded that appropriate steps were being taken and requested that Bescom and the Fire and Emergency Services Department be instructed not to take any coercive action.

The bench responded, “The court will not say anything further in this matter. Bescom counsel has given an oral assurance that they will disconnect the electricity connection. But first, ask the government. If the government instructs, it will be done. Otherwise, Bescom will be held responsible for the mistake that has been made,” the bench warned.

After hearing the arguments, the bench issued notices to the Bescom Managing Director, Bescom Assistant Executive Engineer, and the Director General of Fire Safety and Emergency Services, and adjourned the hearing to July 15.

(With inputs from ANI)