Madras High Court Orders Tamil Nadu to Share Draft Rally SOP With Petitioners

Overview

• The Tamil Nadu government submitted a final draft SOP to regulate large public gatherings to the Madras High Court, covering political meetings, roadshows, processions, and similar events.
• The court directed the state to provide the draft to parties in the case, including TVK, AIADMK, and DMSK, after petitioners said they had not received copies.
• Officials said broad circulation was avoided to prevent endless objections, while petitioners argued the process lacked transparency and that obligations fell disproportionately on organisers.
• Key provisions include applicability to events expecting over 5,000 attendees, designated sites certified by PWD, 10–15 day application windows (30 days for events over 50,000), CCTV with police access, volunteer and police ratios, limits on road occupancy, protections for vulnerable people, and roadshow duration caps.
• The draft proposes recovery of damages under the Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage and Loss) Act in addition to criminal action, and the state defended recent denials of TVK meeting dates on law-and-order grounds tied to Karthigai Deepam and December 6.