Madras High Court Questions State's Online Application for Political Rallies

The Madras High Court questioned the lack of online applications for political procession permissions, as TVK challenged state guidelines. The court asked the government to respond in three weeks, noting the guidelines were based on a prior order after a deadly stampede at a political gathering.

The Madras High Court has raised queries about why the state government does not allow online applications for political processions and rallies. This issue came up during a case where the court was reviewing a petition filed by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) against government regulations on political gatherings.

Chief Justice M M Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan made up the bench hearing the petition. They asked the state to deliver a counter-affidavit within three weeks. The Supreme Court's involvement follows a challenge to the guidelines that were put in place after a tragic stampede in Karur, which took place during a meeting addressed by actor-politician Vijay in 2025.

A notable point made by the court was that prioritizing political parties with historical success in securing MPs and MLAs when managing procession permissions is a rational approach according to the guidelines laid out post-stampede incident.