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The stampede took place on September 27, 2025, during a TVK rally in Karur, killing 41 people. The tragedy triggered a political controversy over accountability.
Visuals of Karur Stampede and CM Vijay with the kin of the victims.
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court order that had struck down the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to provide compassionate government appointments to the families of the 41 people killed in the September 2025 Karur stampede.
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K Vinod Chandran issued notice on a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government and others challenging the High Court’s judgment, while putting its order on hold in the interim.
Senior Advocate Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the state, questioned the basis for challenging the government’s decision to provide employment to the affected families.
“If the State wants to give out [compassionate appointment]…what issue does the High Court have?” Singhvi said, arguing that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) could not be maintained over an employment-related issue.
The bench also questioned why the state should be prevented from offering employment to families affected by the tragedy.
Justice Pardiwala said, “A stampede happened, people died. If the government decided that they should be provided with some succour, and decided to compensate them with money, how are you to question them that no employment should be given? Suppose the sole member died in the tragedy, shouldn’t the government give some employment to the son or daughter?”.
Also Read: Madras HC Strikes Down Vijay’s Order On Jobs For Karur Stampede Victims: ‘Will Open Floodgates’
Lawyer Raises Political Conflict Of Interest
A lawyer opposing the state’s petition argued that the Tamil Nadu government could not exercise discretion to distribute government jobs in this manner.
He also claimed that the political party allegedly responsible for the stampede was currently in power in the state, raising a potential conflict of interest in the government’s decision.
When the bench asked which party he represented, the lawyer said he was appearing for a political party.
“Don’t bring politics here,” Justice Chandran said.
What Madras HC Had Said
The Supreme Court’s intervention comes after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on July 27 struck down the Tamil Nadu government’s Government Order providing compassionate appointments to the families of the Karur stampede victims.
Also Read: ‘Who Gave The Orders That Day?’ Vijay Hints At Political Conspiracy In First Karur Visit Since Stampede
The High Court had held that the appointments were contrary to Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. A division bench of Justice CV Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel had also pointed out that numerous people were already awaiting compassionate appointments across government departments.
The bench had observed that granting jobs to the families of the Karur victims while overlooking others waiting for such appointments was not appropriate.
41 Killed In Karur Stampede
The stampede took place on September 27, 2025, during a TVK rally in Karur, killing 41 people. The tragedy triggered a political controversy over accountability and alleged shortcomings in crowd management.
The incident was among the deadliest disasters at a political gathering in Tamil Nadu in recent years.
Key Questions Answered
Ask News18The Supreme Court has stayed the Madras High Court’s order, which means the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to provide jobs to the families of the Karur stampede victims is currently upheld. The Supreme Court has also issued notice to the Tamil Nadu chief secretary and others regarding the matter.
Ask News18About the Author
Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st…Read More
Delhi, India, India
August 14, 2026, 11:33 IST
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