A setback for the Vijay-led TVK government! Madras HC stays order on government jobs to relatives of Karur stampede victims | Today’s news
The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday quashed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to offer government jobs to the next of kin of those killed in the Karur stampede last year, dealing a blow to the C. Joseph Vijay-led TVK administration.
Delivering the judgment, Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel said extending such appointments would be unfair to the large number of applicants awaiting compassionate appointments in various government departments, according to PTI.
“When there is a waiting list, it is not appropriate to overlook their needs and extend what is called assistance in the Karur incident to family members. We feel that these appointments are in direct violation of the guarantee to a citizen of this country under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution,” the Bench said.
The court noted that the exercise of the executive power of the government must remain within the constitutional provisions.
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Meanwhile, citing government sources, PTI said that the administration is exploring the possibility of filing a case in the Supreme Court against the Supreme Court decision.
The bench also referred to cases of deaths in incidents like firecracker accidents and road accidents where families of the victims are given financial compensation but not given government jobs under compassionate appointment schemes.
While Advocate General Vijay Narayan argued that the appointment was part of a policy decision taken by the government, the petitioners argued that the existing government order mandates the provision of jobs on compassionate grounds and must be followed.
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The court further noted that awarding government jobs to family members of stampede victims could create a “floodgate” situation where other authorities approach the authorities seeking similar appointments.
The court emphasized that government employment is not something that the state can distribute at will; rather, it must be secured through authorization and its meaning preserved.
“Public employment must not be thrown away by the state. It must be earned. Its value must be realized. Its importance must be appreciated. There are many who are waiting to find employment,” the court said under Live Law.
On July 10, Chief Minister Vijay handed over appointment orders to 31 individuals who are relatives of those killed in the Karur stampede on September 27 last year.
Karur Stampede: Probe from SIT to CBI
In October 2025, the Supreme Court shifted the investigation into the incident from the state-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), emphasizing the importance of an independent and impartial investigation.
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A Bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and NV Anjaria also constituted a three-member panel headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Ajay Rastogi to oversee the CBI probe and ensure that the probe into the tragedy remains fair and impartial.
The probe looks into various aspects of the rally, including crowd control measures, sequence of events surrounding Vijay’s arrival and coordination between TVK organizers and local authorities.
The stampede occurred during a TVK rally addressed by party president Vijay, resulting in the death of 41 people and injuries to over 60 others.
