Vijay’s Salem event: 5,000 only

Actor-turned-politician Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has announced that entry to Friday's high-profile party executives' meeting in Tamil Nadu's Salem will be strictly limited to authorised ticket holders, with only those carrying QR-coded passes allowed to attend the programme.

The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Thalamuthu Natarajan Ground near the Sheelanayakkanpatti bypass in Salem district.

Vijay is expected to address party executives and launch key election campaign activities.

However, the gathering will not be open to the general public due to stringent police restrictions. Initially, the party had sought permission to conduct a large public meeting. Police officials raised objections, citing procedural lapses, including the absence of a detailed venue map in the application.

Following these concerns, the TVK revised its request and instead applied to organise the event as an executives’ meeting rather than a mass rally.

After further consultations, the police granted approval subject to 51 conditions.

The most significant restriction was a strict limit on attendance, with authorities making it clear that no more than 5,000 people would be permitted inside the venue in order to maintain security and manage the crowd effectively.

In line with these conditions, the party’s headquarters secretariat issued detailed instructions to volunteers. The communication stated that the executives’ meeting and election campaign programme featuring Vijay — projected by supporters as the people’s preferred Chief Ministerial candidate and party President — will take place from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at the KVP Garden campus in Sheelanayakkanpatti.

As per the police clearance guidelines, the district administration has classified the event as a tightly controlled gathering. Only 4,998 individuals who have been issued QR-coded entry tickets will be allowed inside.

Spot registrations or walk-ins will not be permitted. Party organisers have appealed to volunteers and supporters without passes not to travel to the venue. Instead, they have encouraged them to watch the proceedings through live television broadcasts or official streaming platforms.

The strict arrangements underline the administration’s focus on safety and order, even as enthusiasm builds around Vijay’s appearance and TVK’s growing political mobilisation ahead of the elections.