MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday permitted the state government to provide compassionate appointment to the family members of the victims of Karur stampede, which took place on September 27, 2025, on the condition that the appointments should only be on a temporary basis subject to judicial review.
Further, a bench of justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel suo motu impleaded the member secretary of the Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission and sought a report on the existing guidelines for grant of compassionate appointment, and whether the guidelines are satisfied in the present case. The judges directed the state to file counter affidavit before the prospective employees draw their salary. adding they would hear the matter on July 21.
The bench gave the directions while hearing petitions filed by G Thirumurugan, an advocate, and M Seeni Ahamed, state deputy general of Makkal Jananayaga Katchi.
The petitioners stated that in the absence of any uniform policy or G.O., granting government jobs to victims of the above tragedy would lead to discrimination.
Additional Advocate General B Saravanan cited the grant of both ex gratia and government employment to family members of the victims for Thoothukudi police firing as a precedent. However, the judges observed that the incident was distinct from the Karur stampede. “Grant of public employment has to be offered only in accordance with rules and none can be denied without reasonable cause,” they added.