PRAYAGRAJ, May 1 -- The Allahabad high court said that claims for ex gratia compensation to the victims of the tragic Mahakumbh Mela stampede (of January 29, 2025) must be decided by the district administration and the Mela Authority within 30 days, and not by the state-appointed judicial inquiry commission. The bench comprising justice Ajit Kumar and justice Satya Veer Singh was hearing a writ petition filed by one Sanjay Kumar Sharma, seeking compensation for the death of a relative during the stampede. Having perused an affidavit filed by the secretary of the judicial inquiry commission, the bench noted that disposing of representations for compensation is beyond the scope of inquiry. The affidavit also pointed out that the commission had returned the petitioner's claim file to the Meladhikari while advising the Mela administration to decide the matter at its own level. Examining the commission's terms of reference, the court noted that its primary tasks were to ascertain the reasons and circumstances of the incident, offer suggestions to prevent future occurrences, inquire into the loss of life and property and examine the coordination among the Mela administration, district administration and health services. Importantly, the bench further observed that during the hearing of the case, neither the additional advocate general nor the state panel counsel could deny the factum of the stampede. In fact, the state also did not deny that it had already paid compensation to the dependents of some victims. In view of this, the bench concluded that in view of the state's clear admission that there was indeed a loss of life and property, the commission does not need to further inquire into whether a stampede happened or not. "When the state itself admits that such incident had taken place, then the commission was not to any further enquire as to whether such a stampede happened or not. The state having not denied that it had paid compensation to the dependents of some of those who had lost their life, it also amounts to an admission that there was a loss of life and property," the court remarked. The court laid down principles for the Mela and district administration and directed that every claim of compensation has to be made before the district administration and not before the state judicial commission, and in deciding the matter of claims, it is the district magistrate (Mela)/the Meladhikari, who has to verify the death of an individual during the stampede. "The material placed before the Meladhikari has to be examined in each individual case while arriving at a finding that such death took place on the fateful day, that is, Mauni Amavasya.", added the bench. The bench noted that there is an inquest report of the deceased prepared by an S-I as well as the post-mortem report of the medical officer, and these documents have not been disputed by placing any cogent material to the contrary. Hence, the bench directed the Meladhikari to make a decision within three weeks and file a compliance affidavit by May 7....