Madras High Court Orders Quick SOP for Political Roadshows

The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to urgently draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for public events, including political rallies and roadshows. This comes in response to a tragic stampede at an actor-led roadshow, resulting in 41 fatalities.

During the court hearing, the Additional Advocate General, J Ravindran, assured that political parties would be temporarily prohibited from holding rallies and roadshows until the SOP is established. Public meetings, however, will still be allowed.

The directive follows a petition after the September 27 Karur incident. Authorities have ten days to frame the SOP, consulting multiple departments including the police and fire services, to ensure public safety in future events.