TN issues GO on SOPs to be followed in public gatherings

Chennai, Jan 6 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu government has issued a GO on Standard Operating Procedures to be followed in public gatherings that safeguards public safety and respects the rights of citizens, stipulating 16 conditions that cover a wide range of subjects.
    The Government Order on the SOPs comes in the wake of a stampede in Karur at actor-politician Vijay's September 2025 rally, in which 41 persons were killed and many injured.
    As per the GO issued by the Additional Chief Secretary Dheeraj Kumar dated January 5, the SOP stipulates 16 terms and conditions for the organisers to comply with for conducting public meetings, processions, demonstrations, protests, road shows, public gatherings.
    The SOP applies to any form of public gatherings where the anticipated number of participants exceeds 5,000 and the applicability of the SOP shall be limited during the period of elections when the Model Code of Conduct is in force and all the guidelines issued by the Election Commission would prevail.
    However, the responsibilities of the organiser concerning crowd safety regulations and provision of essential amenities such as drinking water, sanitation and related facilities continue to apply, the GO said.
    The organisers must sign a formal undertaking accepting personal and financial liability for any injury, loss of life or property damage and in the application, they should clearly specify the venue proposed for the event, date and time of the meeting, its purpose, maximum anticipated crowd size, number of vehicles expected and area earmarked for parking.
    The application by the organiser should be submitted 21 days prior to the date of the event and for major events where anticipated crowd size exceeds 50,000 people, the application may be submitted 30 days prior to the event date.
    Details about the first aid booths and ambulances to be deployed and a written undertaking by the organiser that the event would adhere to the permitted time schedule should be submitted and the organiser is fully responsible for crowd safety, regulation and management, it said.
    The permission for the event would be strictly subject to the terms and conditions imposed by the competent police authority.
    
    On the day of the event, the organiser shall deploy volunteers at a minimum ratio of 1 per 100 attendees and separate enclosures/gangways for every 500 participants. They should also ensure safe dispersal of the gathering after the event concludes, it said.
    
    On provision of basic amenities, the organiser should set up one separate toilet for 500 persons (separate for male and female) and ensure drinking water provision of four litre per day per person.
    At the district level, the Collector should constitute a District Level Event Safety Monitoring Committee comprising representatives of revenue, police, medical, public works and electricity department, local bodies, fire and rescue department and ensure seamless inter-departmental coordination.
    Police' strength should be one personnel for 200 persons if it is a low risk event whereas if it is high risk, one police should be deployed for 50 persons, it said. For moderate risk events, the police personnel deployed should 1 per 100 persons.
    For the government departments, the GO said the revenue officials should ensure overall coordination while police should ensure law and order, preventing disturbances and protecting the rights of both participants and the general public.
    The health department should oversee the organisers' arrangements for availability of first-aid centres.
    The Event Safety Monitoring Committee shall continuously monitor and remain in real-time coordination with the police control room and district administration.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)