SC flags something is wrong in Madras HC Karur stampede handling

The Supreme Court on Thursday sharpened its scrutiny of the Madras High Court’s role in the aftermath of the Karur stampede, noting that something appears wrong in the way the high court handled proceedings related to the tragedy that claimed 41 lives during a political outreach event of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s TVK.

A bench of justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi examined a registrar general’s report the apex court had sought in October while questioning how Karur fell under the Madurai Bench but the Chennai Bench intervened in the case. The bench called for the registrar general’s explanation to be circulated among the parties and for their responses to the report.

The court raised questions about why the Chennai Bench intervened in a matter arising from Karur, how it constituted a special investigation team made up entirely of Tamil Nadu police officers, and why the filing and orders from the two benches conflicted. It also noted that the Madurai Bench had refused to transfer the probe to the CBI on the same day.

At issue is the stampede that occurred during a TVK rally in September in Karur, which killed 41 people. The court’s remarks come as it considers how the case has been handled across benches and a central inquiry framework involving the CBI and a supervisory committee that had previously been ordered.

Observers say the exchange underscores the complexity of multi-bench coordination in India’s judiciary and the need for a clear, cohesive approach to political rally-related tragedies. The SC’s earlier orders for a CBI probe and supervisory mechanism remain a backdrop to the current proceedings.

Cover image source: SC says “something is wrong” in Madras HC handling of Karur stampede case 🔗

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