Karur stampede fallout: Madras HC directs Tamil Nadu govt to frame SOP for political events; warns against delay in granting permissions

CHENNAI: A month after the Karur stampede in which 41 people were killed in a road show organised by actor Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), the Madras high court on Monday directed the TN govt to come up with a SOP in 10 days for granting permissions for such public meetings organised by political parties and other organisations. "In the meantime, this order shall not be an impediment for the authorities to consider applications seeking permission for public meetings in places other than state or national highways," the first bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan said.The court also observed that the authorities must dispose of the applications seeking permissions for such meetings within a reasonable time so as to enable the organisers to make adequate arrangements for the meeting and to ensure public safety.

"If anyone approaches the court alleging delay in dispoing of such applications we will be constrained to pass orders," the bench said.

The court made the observation in view of submission made by senior advocate V Ragavachari representing TVK that in view of an undertaking made before the Madurai bench of the court that no permission will be granted for any political parties to organise public meetings in state or national highways till the SOP is framed, the authorities are not considering any applications seeking permissions even in the designated areas.

He added that the September 27 stampede could have been avoided had the authorities granted permission well in advance. Denying the allegations, additional advocate general J Ravindran submitted that as on date no such application is pending and that all such applications are disposed of within a reasonable time. Recording submissions, the court passed the interim order. Earlier, the court tagged all the petitions pending before the principal and Madurai bench of the court pertaining to framing of SOP and decided to consider other reliefs sought if necessary, after the SOP is framed.