The Tamil Nadu government has presented a set of draft guidelines aimed at regulating public meetings, roadshows, political rallies, and protest demonstrations. These guidelines, which were tabled at an all-party meeting, which immediately drew opposition, with the CPI(M) terming them an attempt to curb democratic rights; the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) also opposed the move. The state government prepared the guidelines following a Madras High Court directive that called for the framing of standard operating procedures, a directive issued after a stampede during a Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam meeting in Karur on September 27th tragically killed at least 41 people.
The guidelines classify events into three categories — low, moderate, or high-risk — based on the expected crowd size, introducing specific conditions for organisers, police, and district administrations.
Police deployment ratios vary according to risk: one officer for every 200 participants at low-risk events, 1:100 for moderate-risk events, and 1:50 for high-risk programmes.
A refundable security deposit, linked to the crowd size, has also been proposed: ₹1 lakh for events with 5,000 to 10,000 people; ₹3 lakh for 10,000 to 20,000 people; ₹8 lakh for 20,000 to 50,000 people; and ₹20 lakh for events exceeding 50,000 participants. This deposit would be refunded contingent on adherence to conditions and effective crowd management.
Additionally, the draft states that if the crowd exceeds the declared number by more than 50 per cent, it would be considered a serious violation, leading to both forfeiture of the deposit amount and severe legal action.
The draft further mandates strict advance application timelines: for events in already-approved venues, organisers must apply at least 10 days and not more than 15 days before the event, while applications for unapproved alternative locations must be filed at least 21 days and not later than 30 days in advance. Every application must include details of first-aid arrangements, emergency medical support, volunteer teams, and the names of two senior party officials responsible for security and logistics. Operational rules stipulate that participants must not be made to wait for more than two hours before the event starts, and public meetings and roadshows must generally be completed within three hours. Furthermore, organisers must submit a safety certificate for the stage, pandal structure, electrical systems, and loudspeakers, issued by a private engineer and approved by the district administration, at least four hours before the event begins.
The guidelines apply to public meetings, processions, roadshows, protests, and cultural or religious events where more than 5,000 people are expected, but traditional religious rituals held in designated historic locations are exempt. During elections, the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct takes precedence, though the new safety-related norms would still apply.
CPI(M) leader K Balakrishnan argued that the court had only given an advisory, not a binding order, and called the 24-page draft an attempt to curb democratic rights. He claimed no other state has such restrictions, suggesting Tamil Nadu would risk international ridicule if the rules were imposed. He also alleged the draft reflected only police preferences and confirmed his party would legally challenge it. TVK leader T Velmurugan found none of the conditions acceptable and demanded that roadshows be banned altogether instead of regulating political gatherings. He argued that the state should ban corporate-sponsored cultural events, such as “Happy Street” and Bigg Boss promotions, instead of restricting political parties, concluding that one party's misbehaviour should not be used as an excuse to control all political organisations.
Also read: Venkateswara temple founder blames crowd after stampede kills 9
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