Published Aug 14, 2026 | 6:24 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 14, 2026 | 6:24 PM
Supreme court of India
Synopsis: In September 2025, 41 people were killed in a crowd crush during an election campaign meeting organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Veluchamipuram, Karur district. As a compassionate measure, the Tamil Nadu government provided government jobs to 31 members of the victims’ families. Chief Minister Vijay had handed over the appointment orders.
The Supreme Court has granted an interim stay on the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court’s order cancelling the government job appointments given to family members of victims of the Karur stampede.
In September 2025, 41 people were killed in a crowd crush during an election campaign meeting organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Veluchamipuram, Karur district. As a compassionate measure, the Tamil Nadu government provided government jobs to 31 members of the victims’ families. Chief Minister Vijay had handed over the appointment orders.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court subsequently cancelled the government order providing the appointments following a petition challenging the decision.
The Tamil Nadu government, along with the affected beneficiaries, including Prabhakaran Selvakumar and Anand Jothi, approached the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.
Also Read: Madras HC quashes Tamil Nadu govt order granting jobs to Karur stampede victims’ families
The matter was heard by a bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Vinod Chandran.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Tamil Nadu government, argued that the appointments were made based on a policy decision of the state government and questioned how the High Court could interfere with such a decision. He also argued that there was no specific prayer seeking cancellation of the government order.
Counsel appearing for the respondents argued that the Supreme Court had previously laid down guidelines on the manner in which government jobs should be provided.
During the hearing, the judges observed that the crowd crush was an unfortunate incident and questioned the opposition to providing employment to a member of a victim’s family.
The bench observed that in some families, the deceased person may have been the sole earning member and questioned whether employment should be denied if such a person had died in the stampede.
The judges also told the respondents not to bring politics into the matter.
The Supreme Court subsequently stayed, on an interim basis, the Madras High Court order cancelling the government order providing jobs to the families of the Karur crowd-crush victims. The court also issued notices to the respondents seeking their responses and adjourned the case for further hearing.
(With inputs from Subash Chandra Bose)
