Madras High Court Orders Tamil Nadu Government to Issue Political Rally SOPs Following Deadly Stampede

The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to formulate and publish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) within 10 days for granting permission to political parties and organizations to hold public rallies across the state, extending additional time for the government to finalize these regulations.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan heard a batch of petitions—now converted into public interest litigations—seeking guidelines for political rallies. The court adjourned the matter to November 11, noting that all parties, including political organizations, may submit their recommendations to the government before the SOPs are finalized.

This directive comes one month after the tragic stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur that resulted in 41 fatalities, including women and children. The petitions were filed following widespread concerns regarding safety lapses, inadequate crowd management, and delayed police authorizations for political events.

During proceedings, the court made strong observations concerning the imposition of "25 conditions" for granting permissions on short notice, questioning how political organizations could reasonably comply with such restrictions in limited timeframes. The Bench also questioned the government about why such stringent requirements appeared to target specific political parties.

In its submission, the Tamil Nadu government informed the court that draft guidelines were already under preparation but cited lack of cooperation from certain parties in finalizing them. The government further stated that rally permissions would henceforth be restricted to designated locations to minimize public inconvenience and traffic disruptions. Additionally, permissions would only be granted if organizers ensured basic amenities like drinking water and toilet facilities, and no gatherings would be permitted along national highways.

The government added that these interim conditions would remain effective until the new SOPs come into force.

TVK, whose rally tragedy prompted these petitions, argued that while guidelines were necessary, authorities must also be directed to issue permissions without delay. TVK's legal counsel informed the court that last-minute approvals—often just three days before events—made it impossible to implement adequate safety arrangements. The party also alleged that restrictions were being applied selectively against certain political organizations.

The state responded by maintaining that while there was no statutory timeframe for granting permissions, the new SOPs being developed would ensure timely decisions to prevent such complaints in the future.

Coinciding with the court proceedings, TVK chief and actor Vijay met with families of the Karur stampede victims at a hotel in Mamallapuram today, offering his condolences and assuring continued support.

The hearing occurs amid ongoing legal and political fallout regarding the Karur stampede, which has led to a Supreme Court-monitored CBI investigation. Previously, the state police and ruling DMK attributed the tragedy to Vijay's seven-hour delay that allegedly triggered a surge in crowd numbers and his roadshow violating police permissions. Conversely, TVK alleged a conspiracy by the ruling party and police failure to manage crowds on access roads as causes for the delay. The DMK has denied these allegations.

Vijay's statewide campaign ahead of the 2026 polls remains suspended following the tragedy.