Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday cancelled the Vijay-led TVK government’s decision to provide public employment to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede last year, saying it violates Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 16 (Equality of Opportunity in Government Employment) of the Constitution.
The High Court further noted that the move will open “floodgates” for others to seek such employment.
Forty-one people, including children, were killed in the stampede at a TVK rally addressed by Vijay in September last, when the DMK was in power. The police had alleged that Vijay’s delayed arrival led to crowds swelling beyond the permitted capacity and cited several lapses, including inadequate drinking water, food and toilet facilities. The TVK rejected the allegations, blaming police failure and alleging a conspiracy by former DMK minister Senthil Balaji, a charge he has denied.
In October 2025, the Supreme Court transferred the investigation from a state-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), emphasising the need for an independent and impartial probe. The investigation is examining several aspects of the rally, including crowd-management arrangements, the timeline of Vijay’s arrival and the coordination between party organisers and local authorities.
Earlier this month, the Chief Minister handed over compassionate appointment orders to 32 legal heirs of the victims who lost their lives in the stampede. The compassionate appointments form part of the state government’s relief and rehabilitation measures aimed at providing financial security to the bereaved families.
Senior AIADMK leader RB Udhayakumar had strongly criticised the Chief Minister over the move, calling it a “betrayal.” The move strikes at the livelihood of lakhs of young people from ordinary families who wait for years to secure government jobs, he had said.
The AIADMK leader alleged that temporary government jobs were given bypassing standard statutory procedures. He emphasised that all government recruitments in Tamil Nadu must be conducted strictly through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).
“Offering government jobs as compensation by flouting rules for political reasons is a wrong approach,” Udhayakumar had said, adding that this sets a shocking and wrong precedent for the state’s youth.
