HP High Court Orders DLSA Visit to Kasol After Rave Party Report, Seeks Personal Affidavits from DC and SP Kullu
The Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the District Legal Services Authority, Kullu to inspect rave party sites at Kasol and ordered the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police to file personal affidavits, after a newspaper report described a four-day event drawing up to 10,000 attendees.
Justice Romesh Verma, sitting as Vacation Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, took up Court on its own motion v. State of HP and ors. (CWPIL No. 53 of 2025) on 9 June 2026 and directed the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Kullu to immediately visit the sites where rave parties are being organised, with the assistance of local administration and police. The direction came after a newspaper report in Himbumail described a four-day event at Kasol in Parvati Valley, scheduled from 7 to 11 June 2026, with ticket prices ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 16,000 per participant and an estimated 10,000 attendees already booked. The court also directed the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Kullu to file personal affidavits responding to the newspaper report, and listed the matter for 18 June 2026.
How the PIL Came to Be Registered
The petition originated from a letter sent to the court by the Himalayan Environment Protection Society, Kullu. On the basis of that letter, the Principal Bench registered CWPIL No. 53 of 2025 and, by order dated 15 July 2025, issued notice to the respondents. The Principal Bench's order recorded that the Society had brought to the court's notice that “Rave Parties” were happening at Kasol, Jibhi, Manali and other parts of Kullu, being organised in the name of tourism.
The Principal Bench noted that entry tickets were reported to start from Rs. 5,000 and go up to Rs. 7,00,000, that videos of these parties were available on websites, and that drugs were openly available at such events. It was also pointed out that without the shelter of influential persons and political patronage, such parties could not be organised at that scale. Mr. Rakesh Dhaulta, Additional Advocate General, and Mr. Rajeev Sharma accepted notice on behalf of respondents No. 1 to 4 and respondent No. 5 respectively at that stage.
What the Police Affidavits Said
Following the issuance of notices, the Superintendents of Police of Kullu and Mandi filed affidavits on 1 October 2025 and 6 October 2025 respectively.
The Superintendent of Police, Kullu stated that the concerned Station House Officer visited places where music events were proposed to be organised, that field officers acted against organisers based on source information or complaints, and that legal action was taken where organisers failed to comply with the terms and conditions issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate under statutory laws. The affidavit also stated that no FIR had been registered in District Kullu regarding rave parties.
The Superintendent of Police, Mandi similarly stated that no FIR had been registered in District Mandi and no person had been arrested. The police administration had maintained strict vigil in the district. The Mandi affidavit further disclosed that no data or record was available with the district police regarding income generated by organisers of music events or its distribution.
The Newspaper Report That Prompted Fresh Directions
When the matter came up before the Vacation Bench on 9 June 2026, the court took on record a report published in Himbumail under the caption “thousands revelers converge at Mini Israel in Kasol as raves return to Parvati Valley under the nose of Government.” The report, accompanied by photographs, described a four-day event from 7 to 11 June 2026 being promoted aggressively by the organising body.
Ticket prices were reported to range from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 16,000 per participant. The event was said to be attracting visitors from Chandigarh, Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Goa and overseas destinations including Israel. As many as 10,000 attendees had reportedly booked for the event, with the main organisers identified as Israelis. Videos of high-decibel music were circulating on social media to draw more participants.
The court placed this report alongside the affidavit filed by the Superintendent of Police, Kullu on 1 October 2025 — which had stated that no FIR had been registered and no person arrested — and found the contrast sufficient to warrant a ground-level inspection and fresh affidavits from senior district officials.
Directions Issued on 9 June 2026
The court directed the Secretary, DLSA, Kullu to immediately visit the spot with the assistance of local administration and police authorities and to submit a report within ten days. The Registry was directed to send a copy of the order to the Secretary, DLSA, Kullu forthwith.
The Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Kullu were directed to file their personal affidavits and to respond specifically to the newspaper report, particularly in view of the earlier affidavit dated 1 October 2025 filed by the Superintendent of Police, Kullu. Mr. Sushant Kaprate, Additional Advocate General, appeared for the respondent-State on the date of hearing.
Order
The matter has been listed for 18 June 2026 before the appropriate Bench for receipt of the DLSA report and the personal affidavits of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Kullu.