A special lounge was set up exclusively for judges at the December 14 Diljit Dosanjh concert in Chandigarh, marking a first in entertainment events here in recent times.
Over 300 VIP passes were issued to high court judges alone for the concert at the Sector 34 exhibition ground, as confirmed by multiple sources in the civic and police administration. A judicial officer was also assigned to personally oversee their entry, raising questions about undue influence and unequal access at public events.
This preferential treatment stood in stark contrast to singer Karan Aujla’s concert held on December 7, where no such arrangements were made.
A top official said the December 14 concert, which attracted over 35,000 attendees, featured a separate “Judges Lounge” in the exclusive Fan Pit Zone. More than 300 tickets were distributed to members of the judiciary, including their family and friends, offering them a close view of the artiste’s performance. A similar “Admin Lounge” was set up for administrative officers, it is learnt.
A judicial officer from Chandigarh courts was reportedly especially deputed near the lounge to help judges and their relatives in securing the “right place”. “Most were relatives. But some judges, former and serving, were also there,” a top source said.
Sources said police officials were assigned the responsibility of escorting judges and providing them with tickets. Despite strict regulations being imposed on the general public, who had to endure massive traffic congestion and long wait times, VVIPs, including judges, were allowed direct access to the venue, bypassing barricades set up for ordinary concert-goers.
{{/usCountry}}Sources said police officials were assigned the responsibility of escorting judges and providing them with tickets. Despite strict regulations being imposed on the general public, who had to endure massive traffic congestion and long wait times, VVIPs, including judges, were allowed direct access to the venue, bypassing barricades set up for ordinary concert-goers.
{{/usCountry}}It is to be recalled that on December 13, the Punjab and Haryana high court had taken up a public interest litigation (PIL), filed by Sector-23 resident Ranjeet Singh, which raised concerns about the disruptive impact of such large events, particularly following the chaos caused by singer Karan Aujla’s concert at the same venue on December 7.
The high court had granted permission for Diljit Dosanjh’s concert, but imposed conditions on the organisers regarding noise levels. The court, while allowing the concert, had directed that if the noise level exceeds 75 decibels, penal action would be taken as per the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control Rules) 2000. A compliance report regarding this is to be submitted in high court on Wednesday by the administration.