The Madras High Court on Monday quashed the Tamil Nadu government’s order granting government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede, disposing of a batch of public interest litigations (PILs) that challenged the appointments.
A Division Bench observed that the stampede case is currently being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the supervision of the Supreme Court. In view of the ongoing probe, the court said it would refrain from making any observations on the merits of the incident or issues that could affect the investigation.
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The Bench recalled that it had earlier permitted the Tamil Nadu government to proceed with the appointment ceremony, subject to specific conditions. At the time, the court directed that the appointments would remain purely temporary until the petitions were decided and clarified that the beneficiaries should not receive their first month’s salary before the matter was adjudicated.
With the petitions now disposed of, the High Court said the issue had been decided in accordance with the undertaking given by the state government and the conditions imposed by the court.
The PILs had questioned the legality of granting government employment to the families of the stampede victims while investigations into the tragedy were still underway. Petitioners argued that such appointments should not be finalised before the facts surrounding the incident were fully established.
By setting aside the government order, the court effectively nullified the compassionate appointments announced by the state in the aftermath of the Karur stampede.
However, the High Court made it clear that its decision was confined to the legality of the appointments and should not be interpreted as expressing any opinion on the causes of the stampede or the liability of those involved.
The CBI investigation into the Karur stampede will continue under the Supreme Court’s oversight, with the findings expected to determine accountability for the incident separately from the issue of compassionate appointments.
