Chennai – After a deadly stampede in Karur on September 27 that left 41 people dead during actor‑turned‑politician C. Joseph Vijay’s rally, the Madras High Court asked the Tamil Nadu government to deliver a new set of rules for political rallies.
The court’s decision came from a bench headed by Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan. They heard a series of petitions, including one from Vijay’s party, TVK, which says police have made rally permits too hard to get.
The court told the government to produce a “Standard Operating Procedure” (SOP) for every political meeting in Tamil Nadu. The draft must appear before the court by November 11. If the state fails, the court will step in and require every party to apply for permission at least ten days before a rally, with police to act within three days.
V. Raghavachari, the lawyer for TVK, said the Karur chaos was caused by last‑minute approvals. He claimed the rally permit was granted just a day before the event, leaving organisers with no time to arrange safety. The government’s counsel argued TVK was originally planning the rally for December but pushed it back, filing the application on September 25.
Chief Justice Shrivastava stressed that the state must treat these matters carefully and that the public will always hold the government accountable. He highlighted that parties must apply early and that police must respond quickly. The court originally would have set a one‑week deadline, but it extended the period to ten days because the state needed to check with police, civic bodies, fire and health services.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan informed the bench that the AIADMK requested to join the TVK case to provide its own suggestions for rally regulations. The bench will consider the request later in the week.
In related proceedings, the bench allowed TVK’s general secretary N. Anand, also known as “Bussy” Anand, to withdraw his anticipatory bail plea in the culpable homicide case tied to the Karur stampede.
The bench adjourned, emphasizing that a clear SOP is essential to stop any future tragedy at Tamil Nadu’s political events.
Source: ianslive
Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in world News on Latest NewsX. Follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter(X), Gettr and subscribe our Youtube Channel.
