The High Court bench has ruled that the government jobs provided to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede are invalid. It has also stated that the appointment orders issued by Chief Minister Vijay are being cancelled.
In Karur, 41 people died in a stampede that occurred when TVK leader Vijay was campaigning in September last year. Following that, on the 10th, Chief Minister Vijay issued government appointment orders on compassionate grounds to the families of those who died in the stampede.
At that time, a public petition was filed in the Madurai Bench of the High Court by Naam Tamilar Katchi and the Humanitarian Democratic Party, seeking a ban on providing government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede.
During the hearing, the judges said, "What is wrong with providing government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede... They do need financial assistance, don't they? The court does not wish to interfere in the government's policies. However, temporary jobs may be provided until the court reaches a final decision," and adjourned the hearing of the case to the 21st.
When the case came up for hearing on the 21st before the bench comprising judges C.V. Karthikeyan and Sakthivel, the government side requested that the case be adjourned to July 27, saying that the government’s counter affidavit was not fully ready.
In this situation, the case came up for hearing today. At that time, the government side argued, ``Providing jobs to 31 people is a policy decision of the government. Jobs have been provided within the framework of the Constitution. Exemption has been granted from obtaining approval from the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission.''
Furthermore, during the hearing of the case, a counter affidavit was also filed on behalf of the TNPSC stating that the approval of the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission was not required.
In this situation, High Court Madurai Bench judges C.V. Karthikeyan and Sakthivel said, ``Couldn’t skill development training be provided to help the families of those affected? The argument put forth by the government side that only an ordinary government job had been provided cannot be accepted. No job is ordinary. Every job helps a family.
Every day, many people die in road accidents and firecracker factory explosions. “Can the government provide government jobs to all of them?” the judges asked, and have ruled that the government’s decision to provide government jobs to the families of those who died in the Karur stampede is invalid. On this basis, the appointment order issued by the Chief Minister has been cancelled.
