6 months ago
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The Madras High Court, connected Tuesday (November 11, 2025), granted 10 much days for Tamil Nadu authorities to hole the 2nd draft of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to beryllium followed during governmental meetings and different ample gatherings to forestall mishaps specified arsenic the Karur stampede astatine histrion Vijay’s TVK rally, which claimed 41 lives.
First Division Bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan ordered the 2nd draught should beryllium prepared aft taking into information the suggestions made by assorted governmental parties which participated successful an all-party gathering convened by the authorities connected November 6.
The Bench said, the suggestions to beryllium made by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi (DMSK), which were represented earlier the High Court but had not been invited for the meeting, could besides beryllium considered earlier the submission of the 2nd draught successful the tribunal connected November 21.
During the hearing, TVK lawyer S. Arivazhagan complained astir lack of uniformity successful granting support for governmental meets and accused the constabulary of singling retired TVK and imposing onerous conditions connected it. Advocate A.P. Suryaprakasam for DMSK, said, the archetypal draught SOP prepared by the authorities would cripple smaller parties.
One month’s clip sought
Though Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran sought a month’s clip for submission of the 2nd draught aft obtaining the suggestions to the archetypal draught which the authorities had circulated among the governmental parties, the Chief Justice said, specified a agelong clip could not beryllium granted and insisted connected finalising the SOP astatine the earliest.
Senior counsel Vijay Narayan, representing the AIADMK, filed an impleading petition and said, the main absorption enactment successful the State had submitted a elaborate memorandum of objections, to the archetypal draught SOP, to the Home Secretary connected Monday (November 10) and listed retired each its concerns.
‘Govt. events exempted’
The elder counsel pointed retired the archetypal draught SOP prepared by the authorities had exempted from its purview the events conducted by the Centre, State authorities and related institutions. He said, specified an exemption was arbitrary and it defies logic.
Stating the authorities bodies could lone beryllium exempted from making information deposits, helium said, each different guidelines indispensable beryllium followed for authorities events excessively particularly successful the airy of five deaths reported owed to vigor changeable astatine an aerial show conducted astatine the Marina formation successful Chennai connected October 6 successful 2024.
Religious congregations
Similarly, the SOP indispensable beryllium made applicable adjacent to spiritual gatherings successful which much than 5,000 radical participate. “It is not arsenic if a mishap volition not hap successful religous gatherings,” Mr. Narayan said and insisted the authorities acrophobic indispensable travel the SOP adjacent for ample spiritual gatherings.
AIADMK besides insisted the constabulary indispensable instrumentality a telephone connected granting support for the events wrong 3 days from the day of submission of applications truthful that the organisers could person capable clip to attack the tribunal successful lawsuit of rejection of the applications.
The enactment further objected to the powerfulness conferred connected the officials to amend the SOP. “This is not close and ought not to beryllium done. The officials cannot beryllium vested with specified wide powers... The precise intent of having wide chopped guidelines would basal defeated by specified a diluting provision,” its memorandum to the authorities read.
AIADMK besides took objection to the SOP not spelling retired the responsibilities of the constabulary to supply information and travel amended assemblage absorption practices. “The SOP appears much arsenic a acceptable of rules laid down lone for the lawsuit organisers and has nary protocol to beryllium followed by the police. This should not beryllium the case,” it said.
