Frame draft SOP for political meetings, rallies in Tamil Nadu within 10 days: Madras High Court after Karur stampede

The Madras High Court, on Monday (October 27, 2025), directed Tamil Nadu government to frame within 10 days a draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the conduct of political meetings and rallies in the State in order to avoid mishaps such as the Karur stampede which claimed 41 lives during actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s political campaign on September 27.

Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan told Additonal Advocate General J. Ravindran the draft SOP must be placed before the court by November 11 failing which they would order that applications seeking permission for political meets must be made 10 days before the event and the police must dispose them at least three days in advance.

The interim order was passed on a writ petition filed by Mr. Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), much before the Karur tragedy, complaining about the “onerous” conditions imposed by the police for its campaign and a host of other petitions filed by different individuals, after the tragedy, insisting upon the framing of a SOP/guidelines to regulate the conduct of political meetings and ensure the safety of the participants.

Senior counsel V. Raghavachari, representing TVK, told the Chief Justice’s Bench the State police must be directed to grant permission for the political campaigns well in advance so that the parties concerned could have sufficient time to make necessary arrangements. He claimed the permission for the September 27 Karur political campaign was granted just a day before the event.

Vehemently denying the claim, the AAG told the court that submissions were being made in the air though there were documents to prove their falsity. He said, TVK had originally intended to conduct its political campaign in Karur only in December. Suddenly, there were change in plans, and an application was submitted on September 25 for the conduct of the event on September 27, he said.

Also View: A visual timeline on how Karur stampede unfolded

Not wanting to go into the political thicket, the Chief Justice told the AAG that allegations would always be made only against the party in power and therefore, the State must handle such issues carefully. He said, every political party was obligated to make applications for its meetings well in advance and that the police too must take a decision on those applications before a reasonable period of time.

Since several petitions had been filed in the court for formulation of a SOP, the Chief Justice initially decided to grant just a week’s time to the State government. However, when the AAG said, multiple entities such as the civic bodies, police, health and fire and rescue services departments would have to be consulted, the first Division Bench decided to grant 10 days time for coming up with the draft.

In the meantime, senior counsel Vijay Narayan, representing All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), told the Bench that he represents the principal opposition party in the State and that it had filed an impleading petition on Monday morning for being included as one of the respondents in TVK’s case. He said, the party intends to give its suggestions on regulation of political meetings and rallies.

Since AIADMK’s impleading petition was yet to be numbered and listed for hearing, the judges decided to take a call on that petition as and when it comes up before them during the course of the week. They also closed a writ petition filed by BJP councillor Uma Anandan, seeking a CBI probe into the Karur stampede case, since the Supreme Court had already transferred the investigation to the CBI.

Pleas of ‘Bussy’ Anand, Aadhav Arjuna

They also permitted TVK general secretary ‘Bussy’ Anand alias N. Anand to withdraw his second anticipatory bail petition in a culpable homicide case booked against him and a few other party leaders pursuant to the Karur stampede.

Further, the Chief Justice’s Bench directed the High Court Registry to list before Justice A.D. Jagadish Chandira on November 5 a petition filed by TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna to quash a First Information Report registered against him pursuant to his allegedly inflammatory tweet insinuating a revolt against the Tamil Nadu Government by the youngsters and Gen Z as it had happened in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

The direction was issued after hearing brief submissions made by senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi on behalf of Mr. Arjuna.