A bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran stayed the Madras High Court judgment that had quashed compassionate appointments for the families of the 41 people who died in the Karur stampede — a significant interim relief for the Vijay government.
The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Madras High Court's judgment quashing the Tamil Nadu government's decision to provide compassionate employment to family members of the 41 people who died in the September 2025 Karur stampede. A bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandran passed the interim order on a petition filed by the state government, issuing notice to the Chief Secretary and other respondents.
The bench was direct in questioning the challenge to the state's decision. "Stampede took place. Unfortunate incident happened. The government has decided to compensate them. Should government not give employment?" it observed during the hearing. Pressing the point further, the bench asked: "Who are you to question the policy of the government? Suppose the sole member died in the tragedy, shouldn't the government give some employment to son or daughter?"
Recording its order, the court said: "Issue notice. Judgment passed by the High Court shall remain stayed." The state government was represented by senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Mukul Rohatgi.
On July 27, a Division Bench of the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, comprising Justices C. V. Karthikeyan and R. Sakthivel, struck down the government's decision. It held that the appointments could not be sustained because public employment must comply with Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution, and that granting them could "open floodgates of similar demands."
The High Court also noted that compassionate appointment is ordinarily intended to provide immediate financial relief to the family of a government employee who dies while in service, and cannot be extended as a general rehabilitation measure following a public tragedy. It observed that several families of government employees who died in service were already on a waiting list for such appointments, and that their claims should not be overlooked.
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| Sept 27, 2025 | Stampede at a TVK rally in Karur; 41 die, over 100 injured |
| May 10, 2026 | Vijay sworn in as Chief Minister; government decides to provide employment |
| July 10, 2026 | CM Vijay hands over appointment orders to 31 family members |
| July 27, 2026 | Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) quashes the appointments |
| July 30, 2026 | Tamil Nadu government moves the Supreme Court |
| August 14, 2026 | Supreme Court stays the High Court judgment |
The stampede occurred on September 27, 2025, during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam rally in Karur addressed by Vijay, ahead of the 2026 Assembly election. The tragedy is under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation. After taking office, the government decided to provide employment to eligible family members of those who died, and CM Vijay handed over appointment orders to 31 relatives on July 10 during a visit to the district.
The decision was challenged through public interest petitions before the High Court, which ruled against it in July. The state appealed to the Supreme Court on July 30. Friday's order is an interim one — the matter remains pending, and the court will hear the full challenge in due course.
Karur Stampede Supreme Court Compassionate Appointments Madras High Court August 14, 2026