The Tamil Nadu government has issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for managing public gatherings with over 5,000 people, following directions from the Madras High Court. This move comes after the tragic stampede in Karur last September, where 41 people died during a rally addressed by actor and TVK founder Vijay. The SOP covers all public meetings, processions, protests, religious and cultural events with large crowds. Smaller events with fewer than 5,000 participants will continue under existing rules. Unlike earlier drafts, the final SOP does not require organizers to pay security deposits. Religious customary events and venues fixed by tradition are exempt from these new rules. District Collectors, with police input, will notify approved venues. In Chennai, the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner will handle this. Political parties’ views will also be sought before finalizing venues. Every venue must be certified by Public Works engineers for maximum crowd capacity, parking, entry-exit routes, and emergency access. This list will be reviewed yearly. Organizers must submit written applications in a prescribed format to local police officers. Applications must include event details such as venue, timing, expected crowd size, speakers, vehicles, and parking. For events at notified venues, applications must be filed 10 to 21 days before the event. For other venues, applications must be submitted 15 to 30 days in advance. Urgent protests may get expedited permission from district officials if the cause arose within three days. Applications must detail safety plans including first aid, ambulances, volunteers, and emergency response teams. Organizers must also agree to follow all SOP norms in writing. The Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) will review applications and may ask for more details. If multiple applications conflict on date and venue, priority is given to recognized political parties based on order of receipt. Permission or rejection will be communicated at least five days before smaller events and 15 days prior for those expecting over 50,000 attendees. Rejection reasons will be given in writing. The police will classify events by risk level and deploy personnel accordingly: one cop per 200 people for low-risk, one per 100 for moderate-risk, and one per 50 for high-risk gatherings. Organizers must provide toilets, drinking water, mobile toilets spaced evenly, and water points along the route. The State government has ordered the Director General of Police to enforce the SOP immediately and to create an online system for managing applications within six months. The SOP was finalized after consultation with departments and political parties and was submitted to the High Court on November 19 last year. The court mandated SOP notification by January 5.