Madras High Court Annuls Government Jobs for Stampede Victims’ Families
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has annulled the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to award government jobs to the families of 41 individuals who perished in the Karur stampede in September 2025. This decision came from a bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel, who ruled that such appointments were inconsistent with Articles 14 and 16 of the Indian Constitution, which govern public employment and equality of opportunity.
The judges highlighted that many individuals, whose family members died while serving in government roles, were already in line for compassionate appointments. The court emphasized that the state must prioritize these existing claims rather than provide jobs to the families affected by the stampede.
Instead of offering jobs, the bench suggested that the government could consider alternative support mechanisms, such as funding technical education or entrepreneurship training for eligible members of these families. A comprehensive judgment detailing the ruling is yet to be released.
Legal Controversy Surrounding Compassionate Appointments
The court’s decision came in response to petitions challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s move to provide employment to the families of the deceased from the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally stampede in Karur. The incident is currently under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Following the TVK’s ascension to power in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the state government decided to extend employment offers to the victims’ kin. Petitioners argued that compassionate appointments should strictly adhere to the rules for dependents of government employees who die while in service. They contended that offering such appointments to victims of public tragedies, without a clear policy or guidelines, would contravene constitutional guarantees of equality in public employment.
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The petitioners also mentioned that the families had already received ex gratia compensation. They warned that providing employment amid an ongoing CBI investigation could potentially influence witnesses.
Government’s Defense and Court’s Interim Relief
The state government defended its decision, citing previous instances where similar support was extended to families of tragedy victims. It argued that this was a policy measure aimed at aiding families who lost their primary earners.
On July 10, the High Court had allowed the government to distribute appointment orders, but stipulated that these positions would remain temporary, pending the case’s final resolution. It further instructed that beneficiaries should not receive their first salary until the court’s subsequent hearing.
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However, in its final verdict, the court rescinded the appointments, underscoring the necessity of adhering to constitutional principles in public employment.
