Madras High Court cancels Tamil Nadu government’s job order for Karur stampede victims’ families

Holding that public employment cannot be granted through executive discretion, the Madras High Court cancelled the Tamil Nadu government's compassionate appointment order for Karur stampede victims' families

PGurus Newsdesk

July 27, 2026

The Madras High Court ruled that granting government jobs to the families of Karur stampede victims violates constitutional principles governing public employment

The court held that offering government jobs to the victims’ families would violate constitutional provisions on public employment

The Madras High Court on Monday set aside the Tamil Nadu government‘s decision to provide government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede, holding that such appointments would violate the constitutional principles of equality in public employment.

The court observed that granting compassionate appointments in the case would breach Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution and could encourage similar demands in future incidents.

‘Public employment cannot be distributed arbitrarily’

The High Court said extending compassionate appointments in connection with the stampede would open the “floodgates” for similar claims.

“Compassionate appointments for this incident will only open floodgates for various others to seek such employment,” the court observed.

It further stressed that government jobs cannot be distributed through executive discretion.

“If executive action were to be left unfettered and given free hand, chaos will reign. Public employment is not to be thrown away by the State. It has to be earned. Its value has to be realised. Its importance is to be cherished. Many wait seeking employment,” the court said.

Background of the case

The order relates to the Karur stampede, which has been under judicial scrutiny since the Supreme Court transferred the investigation from the state Special Investigation Team (SIT) to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in October 2025. The apex court had ordered an independent probe into the incident, including crowd management, the timeline of Chief Minister Vijay’s arrival and coordination between organisers and local authorities.

Earlier this month, the Tamil Nadu government had issued compassionate appointment orders to 32 legal heirs of those who lost their lives in the stampede as part of its relief and rehabilitation package.

Opposition had criticised the move

The government’s decision had drawn criticism from the Opposition.

Senior AIADMK leader RB Udhayakumar had termed the move a “betrayal“, arguing that it undermined the aspirations of lakhs of job seekers waiting for government recruitment through due process.

He alleged that the appointments bypassed established recruitment procedures and maintained that all government jobs should be filled through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).

According to Udhayakumar, offering government employment as compensation for political reasons sets a wrong precedent and compromises the integrity of the state’s recruitment system.

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