The Madras High Court on July 27 had quashed Vijay’s order providing government jobs to relatives of people who died in the stampede, observing that it will open floodgates of similar demands.
A division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel of the high court had held that it was not appropriate to overlook the needs of many who are waiting to get compassionate appointments in government departments.
The high court had noted that the exercise of executive power must be within the Constitutional limits.
The high court’s Madurai Bench cited instances of loss of lives in accidents at firework units and also due to motor accidents.
In such cases, the kin of victims are provided ex-gratia and not jobs on compassionate grounds.
Also, the court said the order providing government jobs to kin of stampede victims will open “floodgates” for others to seek similar employment.
The counsel for petitioners challenging the government’s order had contended that about 3.9 million young people in Tamil Nadu remain unemployed and around two million candidates apply for competitive recruitment exams.
Providing government jobs outside the regular recruitment process was unfair and inconsistent with constitutional principles, they contended.
(With inputs from PTI)