Madras HC Quashes Govt Jobs for Kin of Karur Stampede Victims

The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court on Monday quashed government employment orders issued to 31 family members of individuals killed during a Karur stampede at a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam meeting. A division bench comprising Justice C V Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel ruled that public employment cannot be distributed as largesse by the state government, declaring the appointments violative of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

The tragedy occurred on September 27, 2025, in Karur, where 41 people were killed and more than 100 others were injured while Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay was addressing a gathering. Following his party ascending to power, Chief Minister Vijay handed over temporary job orders to 31 relatives of the deceased on July 10. Public interest writ petitions were subsequently filed in the high court challenging the legality of the employment orders.

In their judgment, the bench emphasized that executive power must remain strictly within constitutional limits to prevent chaos. The judges rejected the state government's attempt to justify the appointments using a 1999 government order meant for fallen defense personnel, stating that victims of a political meeting stampede cannot be equated with war heroes who make sacrifices on the frontlines for the nation.

The court also pointed out that the state government bypassed its own 2020 guidelines governing compassionate appointments. With numerous applicants currently on waiting lists across various government departments, the judges stated it was improper to overlook established waitlists and grant direct public employment in this instance.

Addressing the state's reference to government jobs granted to families of victims in the 2018 anti-Sterlite protest police firing in Tuticorin, the court distinguished that incident as one involving state excess. The bench noted that the Karur stampede investigation remains underway under the monitoring of the Supreme Court. The judges also dismissed arguments regarding the low rank of the assigned posts, asserting that every public job carries pride and credentials.

Instead of handing out public office assistant posts, the court stated the government could have funded skill and entrepreneurship training for eligible family members to help them become self-sufficient.