Besides complaints from the public alleging excessive bi-monthly bills, delayed meter readings, and denial of the free electricity benefit, the Director (Finance), too, had flagged continuing instances of abnormal billing in several sections, saying faulty meter readings, defective meters, and lapses in the billing process had resulted in incorrect and inflated bills being issued to household consumers, which was also affecting the utility's finances.

Taking note of it, TNPDCL issued a circular addressed to all Superintending Engineers, instructing them to ensure error-free billing assessments, stricter field inspections, and fixed accountability at every level to prevent both consumer grievances and revenue leakages.

Citing inspection reports and consumer complaints, it pointed to inadequate field verification by revenue supervisors, assessment supervisors, assistant accounts officers and other assessment officials. It was also found that inspections at the electricity distribution circle level were insufficient and that defective meters were often not identified early, allowing billing errors to continue until consumers complained, the corporation said.

Despite repeated instructions from the TNPDCL headquarters to ensure accurate billing and improve consumer satisfaction, such deficiencies continued to persist, it noted.

To address the issue, periodic surprise inspections, including mass verification drives, should be held across all circles, and assessment staff should scrutinise meter readings carefully, it said, cautioning that inspection officials’ performance would be documented and reviewed regularly.

Superintending Engineers have also been instructed to assign clear responsibility to officers at the circle, division, and sub-division levels to ensure prompt, accurate, and consumer-friendly billing, it said.

The employees’ unions, however, attributed the recurring billing errors to severe staff shortages. Central Organisation of Tamil Nadu Electricity Employees president S Kannan said nearly 60% of the 7,565 assessor posts and about 42% of the 3,961 inspector of assessment posts are lying vacant. Assessors are responsible for door-to-door meter readings, while inspectors supervise the process.

"Because of the acute vacancies, inspectors themselves are forced to take meter readings, while revenue supervisors, who should be monitoring field work, are deployed for bill collection at section offices. Meter reading work is increasingly being outsourced, leading to more errors. Unless the vacancies are filled, these problems will continue," he said.

When asked, a senior TNPDCL official said steps were under way to fill the vacancies and that the utility was considering deploying field assistants for meter reading until regular appointments are made.

The famous waterfalls, which usually draw thousands of visitors from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring States, now present a starkly different picture. Large stretches of exposed rocks have replaced the gushing waters as only a trickle flows through.

"Only during weekends is the tourist turnout moderate. On weekdays, the footfall is abysmally low," said K Rajendran, a coracle operator and member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

"Such a prolonged dry spell is unprecedented. Over the last few years, we have had good inflows. Currently, around 50 to 70 coracle rides are operated on weekdays, and approximately 900 rides are conducted on weekends. During the peak tourist season in May, it would be above 1,300 rides. Business started declining from June itself because of the lack of water," he said.

Coracle services continue to operate only in isolated stagnant pools of water, but operators say the experience no longer offers the scenic appeal that tourists expect.

"There is hardly anything to see except exposed rocks. The waterfalls, which offer a spectacular sight during good flow, now carry only minimal water," Rajendran said.

For many of the 432 licensed coracle operators, the downturn has become a livelihood crisis.

V Amsaraj (40), who has been rowing coracles at Hogenakkal for the past 22 years, fears the situation could worsen if rainfall remains scarce. "A similar dry spell occurred in 2015. Even the bathing area now receives only a trickle of water," he said.

The contrast with last year could not be sharper. By the middle of June 2025, heavy releases from Karnataka had swollen the Cauvery, forcing authorities to suspend coracle operations for nearly two months as a safety measure. This year, however, the river has receded dramatically, exposing vast stretches of the riverbed.

Ironically, the receding waters have revealed a hidden attraction. The Jaganmohini Cave, which remains submerged for most of the year, has resurfaced in the Cauvery stretch. Believed to have been carved into a rock face for the shooting of the Tamil film Jaganmohini in 1978, the cave has become an unexpected draw for visitors. Coracle operators have begun ferrying tourists to the site, allowing them to explore the cave.

A coracle ride covering the 2.5-km stretch between Mamarathu Kadavu and Manalmedu on the Karnataka border costs Rs 1,500 for a family of four. Of this, Rs 200 is collected by the administration, while the remaining amount goes to the coracle operators.

Despite the cave attracting curious visitors, operators say it has done little to offset the overall decline in business.

The economic impact extends well beyond the coracle operators. Several hundreds of families in Hogenakkal depend directly or indirectly on tourism for their livelihood, including masseurs, women engaged in cooking for visitors, roadside vendors and shopkeepers.

With the southwest monsoon yet to significantly replenish the Cauvery, the tourism stakeholders say their hopes now rest on sustained rainfall in the river's catchment areas to restore both the waterfalls and their livelihoods.

The deceased was identified as Deepa, while the accused is her brother Kanthakumar.

According to police, the siblings had been at odds over their ancestral property ever since the death of their parents about two years ago. Despite repeated discussions within the family, the dispute remained unresolved.

On Saturday, Kanthakumar allegedly went to Deepa's house armed with a sickle and attacked her during an argument. When her husband attempted to stop him, he was also assaulted and suffered injuries.

Neighbours rushed the victims to the Sankarapuram Government Hospital. Deepa was referred to the Government Medical College Hospital in Kallakurichi, where doctors declared her dead. Her husband is undergoing treatment and is reported to be out of danger.

Following the incident, Sankarapuram police registered a murder case and arrested Kanthakumar . The body was sent for a post-mortem examination, and further investigation is under way.

The video shows the MLA inspecting classrooms and the noon meal centre at the Pennagaram Government Boys Higher Secondary School. He is also shown interacting with students, advising them to focus on studies.

Another reel showed Gajendran visiting students who were receiving treatment at a primary health centre after some of them reportedly fell ill after consuming the noon meal at a school in Perumpalai.

The reels have drawn attention as they were circulated despite the Chief Minister’s directive against conducting inspections in government schools and publishing related social media content. The School Education Department had also issued similar instructions, according to a report.

Chief Minister Vijay had on July 16 warned his ministers against making social media reels during visits to schools and public events.

Vijay’s direction had come after a reel showing Industries minister S Keerthana who with a government school student during an inspection in Virudhunagar drew objections from child rights activists.

In the video, the minister is seen asking the student, “What is your father?”, and the child remains silent. The minister then turns around to the teachers saying the child failed to answer a simple question. When the child is again asked the question, she gives her father’s name. The teachers then rephrase the question to the child ‘what is her father’s profession?’, and the child gives the correct answer.

Proceedings issued by the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation, which markets the milk and dairy products under the Aavin brand on July 14 had revised the billing price, maximum retail price (MRP) and the wholesale dealer (WSD) margin for select ghee variants with effect from July 15.

Under the order, the 500-ml ghee pet jar was assigned a revised billing price of Rs 347.62 up from Rs 333.33. Likewise, the one-litre ghee pet jar was revised to a billing price of Rs 666.67 from Rs 647.62, while the one-litre ghee carton was revised to a billing price of Rs 657.14 from Rs 638.10. The proceedings also altered the commission payable to wholesale dealers and retailers.

The revised order entered the public domain soon after its issuance, triggering reports that Aavin had increased ghee prices.

Issuing a clarification on Monday, the government said reports claiming that Aavin had raised the retail price of ghee were “factually incorrect” and did not reflect the actual position.

“Aavin continues to supply all variants of ghee to consumers at the existing retail prices. There has been no increase in the price of any ghee variant,” the clarification said.

It further announced that the revision in the WSD margin had been withdrawn and that the earlier margin structure would continue.

The latest decision effectively rescinds the July 14 pricing revision, restoring the previous billing prices, MRPs and dealer margin structure.

The episode saw Aavin approve revised billing prices and MRPs for its ghee products through an internal order, only to withdraw the exercise within a week after it attracted widespread media attention, while maintaining that the revised retail prices were never implemented.

In a statement, BJP State chief spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy welcomed the arrest of the Vilathikulam legislator, describing the remarks attributed to him at a public meeting as unacceptable and beyond the bounds of democratic political discourse.

“I welcome the arrest of the Vilathikulam DMK legislator Markandayan, who abused the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at a public meeting. It is utterly unacceptable for an elected representative to hurl vulgar and indecent abuse at the Chief Minister in this manner,” he said.

Narayanan Thirupathy, however, accused the DMK of adopting double standards by criticising the arrest while remaining silent on similar instances involving its own leaders. He said the party, despite repeatedly invoking the principles of “duty, dignity and discipline”, had failed to ensure responsible public conduct by its functionaries.

The BJP leader alleged that during the previous DMK government, several ministers, legislators and party office-bearers had made derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Although the BJP had lodged multiple police complaints, no action was taken, he claimed.

Calling for uniform enforcement of the law, Thirupathy urged Chief Minister Joseph Vijay to direct the police to act on all pending complaints filed by the BJP and initiate disciplinary proceedings against officers who allegedly failed to pursue those cases.

He maintained that the law must be applied impartially, irrespective of political affiliation, and said the arrest should serve as a clear message that abusive political rhetoric cannot be tolerated in public life.

Police said a case was registered against the MLA under Sections 351(3), 352 and 353(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), alleging criminal intimidation, making statements to disturb public peace, and intentional insult intended to provoke a breach of peace

According to the police, Markandeyan allegedly made the remarks while addressing a in meeting organised by DMK on July 18 at the Krishnan Temple grounds in Kovilpatti to thank voters following the party's victory in the Assembly constituency.

DMK Organisation Secretary R.S. Bharathi attended the event as the chief guest. North District DMK Secretary P. Geetha Jeevan, party spokesperson Surya Vetri Kondan and several other party functionaries also addressed the gathering.

Meanwhile TVK Kovilpatti North Secretary Balakrishnan lodged a complaint against the MLA with Thoothukudi District Crime Branch Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kannan on the night of July 18.

Following the complaint, Vilathikulam DSP Sundarapandian, District Crime Branch DSP Kannan and a team of police personnel reached the MLA's residence at Ambal Nagar in Vilathikulam on Monday morning to arrest him.

Markandeyan had just returned from his morning walk when the police informed him about the arrest. Meanwhile, a large number of DMK cadre gathered outside his residence after learning about the police action.

When the MLA attempted to leave in his own car, the police stopped him and asked him to board a police vehicle. Angered by the move, DMK workers staged a road blockade in front of the police vehicles, raising slogans against the State government. The incident led to tense scenes in the area for more than an hour.

The police later dispersed the protesters and took the MLA to the office of the Superintendent of Police in Thoothukudi for inquiry.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened around the SP's office. Police erected barricades at four entry points and restricted access to the premises as a large number of DMK workers gathered outside, leading to a tense situation.

The announcement was made by Sr Amudha Theos, Superior of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Congregation, during a press conference at Pattarivilai on Sunday (July 19).

The thanksgiving Mass will be led by Kuzhithurai Diocese Bishop Albert Anastas and attended by priests, religious sisters and devotees.

Rajesh Kumar said medical admissions in Tamil Nadu were based on Class 12 public examination marks until 2016 and argued that the system had ensured wider access to medical education. He alleged that the examination had become a lucrative business for private coaching centres.

Rajesh Kumar reiterated the demand that education be moved back to the State List, even though it was then-Congress PM Indira Gandhi who moved it to the Concurrent List during the Emergency.

The action against Thangaraj (48) follows the circulation of a video on social media allegedly showing him accepting money from a patient's attendant while on duty at the government hospital.

Hospital authorities ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The investigation reportedly confirmed that Thangaraj had received the money as illegal gratification. Based on the findings, hospital dean (in-charge) Dr Senthilkumari issued orders suspending him from service.

The complaint was filed by Moorthy, the sanitation supervisor for Ward 48, who alleged that Ramalingam, husband of DMK councillor Vijaya, assaulted him and threatened him after questioning why a drain had not been cleaned. A video purportedly showing the assault has since surfaced on social media. Based on Moorthy's complaint, Shevapet police registered a case against Ramalingam and are investigating.

According to activist Senthil from Iyyapanthangal, authorities cleared a 33-plot layout named 'Meera Nagar' despite the absence of a stormwater drain; they only had roads laid at the site. Under the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules (TNCDBR), 2019, developers are required to complete basic infrastructure, including roads and stormwater drains, before the final approval is issued.

An RTI reply dated July 6 from the assistant public information officer of Kattankulathur panchayat union stated that both road facilities and stormwater drains had been completed before securing the approval.

Official records also show that the developer paid Rs 2.88 lakh as approval fees to Mannivakkam panchayat on May 22, 2024, with no additional charges collected for infrastructure creation.

Contradicting this, a response to a complaint filed on the Chief Minister's cell portal noted that the CMDA planning permission mandated construction of dual-sided cement concrete stormwater drains, which are not present at the site.

Senthil alleged that the approval bypassed norms laid down by CMDA and TNRERA, and criticised the Kattankulathur panchayat union commissioner and Mannivakkam panchayat president for failing to enforce compliance.

Responding to the allegations, Kattankulathur Block Development Officer PJ Kalaiselvan said the issue had only recently come to his notice. “We have taken the steps to contact the landowner, but haven't been able to reach him yet. The issue will be ascertained within a week," he said.

Subbulaxmi has been transferred from the position of Chief Operating Officer of TN Rural Transformation Project.

On June 14, DT Next had reported on ‘Department of Child Welfare operating sans director for a year’. For close to a year, DCWSS, earlier known as the Directorate of Social Defence, has been operating without a dedicated director after the previous director, Johny Tom Varghese, vacated the post around August 2025. Since then, the position has been held by another administrative officer in an additional capacity.

Therefore, child rights activists and other stakeholders welcome the recent development. “Such a crucial department calls for a dedicated director of its own and not merely an additional in-charge. Glad, the government paid heed to the concern,” said a member of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

With new director taking over, some of the concerns of the staff are high vacancy in the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and 1098, lack of funding and administrative issues within the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), and lack of monitoring of Acts related to children among others.

COIMBATORE: With tourist arrivals at Hogenakkal witnessing a seasonal decline as Cauvery water levels recede, tourism stakeholders have urged the Tamil Nadu government to revive the proposed theme park project aimed at ensuring a steady flow of visitors throughout the year.

The theme park, planned during the previous regime under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, was envisaged with adventure activities and water sports facilities to enhance the appeal of Hogenakkal Falls. A tender was also floated as part of the proposal, which stakeholders believe could have significantly increased tourist footfall.

"Tourist arrivals decline for a few months every year whenever the water flow in the falls reduces. If a theme park with additional attractions is established, visitor numbers can remain steady throughout the year. However, the project failed to take off,” said coracle operators.

Apart from reviving the theme park proposal, stakeholders have also sought improvements in basic infrastructure and visitor facilities to provide a better experience for tourists.

"There are not enough toilets in the tourist area. During peak periods, the existing facilities are grossly inadequate. The existing facility is also poorly maintained and has become an eyesore due to lack of cleanliness. There is also no reliable drinking water facility for visitors. Though reverse osmosis (RO) drinking water units were installed at some locations, they are not functioning, forcing tourists to buy packaged water," said S Muthumanickam, a software professional from Bangalore, who went on a recent family trip to Hogenakkal.

“Indiscriminate dumping of plastic bottles and food waste by tourists is also affecting the image of the tourist spot," said H Vivek, another visitor from Salem.

Stakeholders have also urged the administration to increase surveillance in the area to prevent visitors from consuming alcohol and entering the Cauvery for bathing in unsafe locations. They said such activities not only endanger tourists but also create challenges for coracle operators and local authorities.

Hogenakkal, one of Tamil Nadu's major tourist destinations, attracts visitors from across Tamil Nadu as well as neighbouring States. Stakeholders said improving infrastructure and introducing new attractions could help transform it into an all-season tourism destination.

The retrospective study published in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Madras Medical College-Medicine analysed inpatient deaths recorded at RGGGH, attached to Madras Medical College, between May 2023 and April 2024. The researchers said the findings reflect India's ongoing epidemiological transition, with chronic diseases accounting for a substantial proportion of hospital deaths, while also underscoring the need for stronger preventive healthcare, timely referrals and improved surveillance of mortality trends.

During the one-year study, the hospital registered 1,40,793 admissions and 7,954 deaths, translating into an overall in-hospital mortality rate of 5.6%. Of these, 7,752 deaths were included in the analysis after excluding brought-dead cases and records with incomplete clinical information.

The study identified stroke as the single largest cause of death, accounting for 1,096 fatalities, or 14.1% of all inpatient deaths. Of these, 556 patients died due to ischaemic stroke while haemorrhagic stroke claimed 540.

Cancer was the second leading cause, with 698 deaths (9%), followed by ischaemic heart disease with 630 deaths (8.1%), decompensated chronic liver disease with 610 deaths (7.9%) and road traffic accidents with 598 deaths (7.7%). Collectively, these five conditions accounted for 46.8% of all inpatient deaths analysed.

"The mortality pattern in this study shows a predominance of stroke, cancer and cardiovascular disease as the causes. This observation highlights the rising burden of non-communicable diseases and their impact on mortality, " the authors said.

When classified according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), ailments of the nervous system emerged as the largest category, contributing 19.9% of all deaths. Diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 14.4%, followed by external causes of morbidity and mortality, including accidents and injuries, at 13.2%. Digestive diseases contributed 10.4%, infectious and parasitic diseases 9.9%, cancers 9%, genitourinary diseases 8.2%, respiratory diseases 7.9% and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic disorders 4.3%.

The analysis also revealed a clear demographic pattern. Men accounted for 5,169 deaths, or 66.7% of all fatalities, while women accounted for 2,583 deaths. The highest mortality was recorded among patients aged 51 to 60 years, who constituted 24.3% of all deaths, followed by those aged 61 to 70 years. Overall, nearly 70% of the deceased were 45 years and above.

One of the study's most striking findings relates to the timing of deaths after admission. More than half of the patients, 54.4%, died within the first 72 hours of admission, including 13.7% who died on the day they reached the hospital. Nearly 75.7% of all deaths occurred within the first week of hospitalisation.

The researchers said the trend warrants a closer evaluation of whether delayed referrals, late presentation of critically ill patients or suboptimal management before transfer contributed to the high proportion of early deaths. As RGGGH serves as the principal referral centre for northern Tamil Nadu, it receives critically ill patients from more than 500 government and private hospitals across the State.

Beyond the five leading causes, the study identified chronic kidney disease as another significant contributor, accounting for 471 deaths, while sepsis claimed 349 lives. Among infectious diseases, tuberculosis caused 144 deaths, infectious meningitis 73, HIV-related illnesses 60 and leptospirosis 10.

The cancer profile reflected the increasing burden of malignancies, with haematological cancers accounting for the highest number of deaths, followed by lung cancer, metastatic cancers of unknown primary origin, brain and central nervous system tumours and stomach cancer.

Among respiratory illnesses, pneumonitis caused 264 deaths, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for 134 deaths and respiratory failure for 101. In endocrine and metabolic disorders, diabetic ketoacidosis alone resulted in 214 deaths, while uncontrolled diabetes mellitus accounted for another 70. Diabetic foot syndrome was responsible for 174 deaths under circulatory diseases, highlighting the impact of poorly controlled diabetes.

The study also pointed to the growing burden of alcohol-related liver disease, as it emerged as the dominant contributor to deaths from decompensated chronic liver disease. The researchers linked this to changing lifestyle patterns, increasing alcohol consumption and the rising prevalence of liver disorders in the country.

Road traffic accidents remained the leading external cause of death, particularly among young men. The researchers also flagged poisoning as an emerging concern, noting that paraquat poisoning accounted for the largest share of poisoning-related deaths. Given its extremely high fatality rate and increasing use in suicide attempts, the study said the trend warrants urgent public health attention.

The authors noted that the findings broadly mirror national and global estimates showing non-communicable diseases replacing infectious diseases as the leading causes of mortality. At the same time, they observed that conditions such as alcohol-related liver disease and paraquat poisoning require focused interventions in Tamil Nadu.

Conducted at one of Asia's oldest hospitals, RGGGH houses about 3,300 beds, 49 speciality departments and 21 intensive care units, besides handling nearly 10,000 outpatient visits every day.

The researchers described the study as the first detailed assessment of inpatient mortality in a government tertiary care hospital in southern India.

Calling for stronger public health interventions, the authors stressed the need to intensify prevention and early detection of stroke, cardiovascular diseases, cancers and diabetes through improved control of hypertension, dyslipidaemia and other risk factors. They also recommended strengthening road safety measures, establishing robust hospital-based mortality surveillance systems and integrating institutional data with national health databases to support evidence-based health planning.

The study acknowledged that it did not include paediatric and most obstetric cases because those patients are treated in separate institutions attached to Madras Medical College. It also noted that disease-specific case-fatality rates could not be calculated since only records of deceased patients were analysed.

"Improved surveillance for hospital-based mortality and integrating it with national health database systems may be helpful to improve evidence-based planning. Multicentre population-based studies should be conducted to verify these results, " the authors concluded.

Highlights

* First comprehensive mortality study from a government tertiary care hospital in Tamil Nadu and southern India

* Hospital: Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital

Period of the study - May 2023-April 2024

1,40,793 admissions

7,954 total deaths

7,752 records analysed

5.6% overall in-hospital mortality rate

66.7% deaths were of men

51-60 age group recorded highest mortality

70% of deaths were of people above 45

54.4% patients died within 72 hours of admission

75.7% died within the first week of hospitalisation

Although the AIQ was justified as a remedy for inter-State disparities, it gives no assurance that seats surrendered by well-endowed States will benefit candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges. It’s an all-India merit pool, not a deficit-region quota

Introduced in 1984, the AIQ has hardened into a permanent centralised admissions regime for MBBS/BDS, MD/MS/MDS and DM/MCh courses. Justice AK Rajan’s 2020 monograph, Penalty for Progress?, offers a scathing critique of this judge-made framework and its constitutional validity.

Super-speciality admissions carry no reservation, on the ground that ‘merit alone’ must prevail at the apex level. That justification has been shattered by the reduction of NEET-SS qualifying cut-offs to single-digit, and even zeroth, percentile levels

‘Robin Hood’ origins

The AIQ originated in Dr. Pradeep Jain v. Union of India (1984). Faced with wide inter-State disparities in medical infrastructure and educational opportunity, the Supreme Court disapproved wholesale domicile-based exclusion and held that a portion of seats in government and aided medical colleges in each State should be opened to candidates from across India. It suggested that at least 30% of the ‘open’ non-reserved seats be placed in an all-India pool.

The Dr. Dinesh Kumar line of cases converted this broad judicial idea into fixed numerical quotas. In Dr. Dinesh Kumar (II) v. Motilal Nehru Medical College (1986), the AIQ was fixed at 15% of total MBBS/BDS seats in government colleges. For postgraduate courses, Pradeep Jain had contemplated that at least 50% of the open seats be filled on an all-India basis; Dinesh Kumar (II) reformulated this as 25% of total postgraduate seats.fea

Two decades later, a five-judge Constitution Bench in Saurabh Chaudri v. Union of India (2003) raised the postgraduate AIQ to 50%. At the super-speciality level, Pradeep Jain and later rulings insisted on zero domiciliary reservation and admissions based entirely on all-India merit in the ‘national interest’.

The AIQ applies only to government and government-aided institutions, not private self-financing colleges. States that invested early and substantially in medical colleges, postgraduate departments, and super-speciality units to meet their own public-health needs are compelled to surrender part of that capacity because other States failed to build theirs. Tamil Nadu, with 38 State government medical colleges, exemplifies such sustained public investment. The AIQ penalises that progress.

The point is simple. A village that digs its own well may voluntarily share its water. A higher authority may help another village dig its own. But to compel the first village to surrender a fixed share of its water indefinitely to other villages is unfair. Nothing in the Constitution requires one State to remedy another State’s administrative failure. The proper response was to require lagging States to expand medical infrastructure, with Union assistance where necessary. Instead, the Court fashioned a ‘Robin Hood’ model of redistribution, compelling progressive States to surrender seats to a central pool.

Systemic consequences

The AIQ has produced serious consequences. First, it reduces the supply of doctors familiar with local languages, cultures, and disease burdens, especially in non-Hindi-speaking States.

Effective diagnosis, counselling and treatment depend not merely on technical competence, but also on a doctor’s ability to understand a patient’s language, cultural cues, and social context. In such encounters, communication failures can be as harmful as diagnostic errors.

Second, by requiring States to surrender 15% of undergraduate seats, 50% of postgraduate seats, and all super-speciality seats created through State investment to a central pool, the AIQ becomes a powerful disincentive for States to expand medical education capacity. This is especially damaging in postgraduate and super-speciality education, where departments, hospitals, equipment and faculty require substantial public investment. Ultimately, it is the public that loses.

Third, although the AIQ was justified as a remedy for inter-State disparities, it gives no assurance that seats surrendered by well-endowed States will benefit candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges. It’s an all-India merit pool, not a deficit-region quota. Candidates from medically advanced States may also secure these seats, often with greater competitive advantage than those from backward or deficit regions. Thus, the AIQ fails to serve its own professed rationale. A fresh empirical scrutiny of its actual benefits to deficit regions is necessary.

Fourth, the AIQ’s social-justice record has been gravely deficient. While most States had been implementing OBC reservation in educational institutions from 1950, and some even earlier, the Union introduced 27% OBC reservation in educational institutions only through the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006. Had AIQ seats remained with the States, a substantial share would have gone to OBC candidates under State reservation policies from 1984 itself.

What is indefensible is that OBC reservation was not extended to AIQ seats even after Central reservations were introduced in 2006; it was implemented only from 2021–22, after prolonged litigation, a Madras High Court order in July 2020, and a Union notification in July 2021. This delay deprived OBC candidates of thousands of seats.

Even more unconscionably, SC/ST reservation—15% and 7.5% respectively — in AIQ undergraduate and postgraduate seats was introduced only after the Supreme Court’s judgment in Abhay Nath v. University of Delhi (2009), nearly 25 years after the AIQ’s creation in 1984.

Super-speciality admissions carry no reservation, on the ground that ‘merit alone’ must prevail at the apex level. That justification has been shattered by the reduction of NEET-SS qualifying cut-offs to single-digit, and even zeroth, percentile levels in several years to prevent costly seats in private colleges and deemed universities from remaining vacant. When candidates at the zeroth percentile are treated as eligible, excluding reservation in the name of uncompromised merit becomes indefensible.

Constitutional fault-lines

The AIQ’s constitutional foundation is equally vulnerable.

1. Violation of stare decisis: A five-judge Constitution Bench in D.P. Joshi v. State of Madhya Bharat (1955) had upheld the constitutional validity of State domicile-based preferences in higher education. The case concerned a rule under which bona fide residents of Madhya Bharat were exempted from paying capitation fees in a State-run medical college, while non-residents were required to pay an additional fee. The petitioner challenged the rule under Articles 14 and 15, contending that it discriminated on the ground of place of birth and created an arbitrary classification between residents and non-residents.

The Court rejected both arguments. It drew a clear distinction between citizenship, domicile, and place of birth. Citizenship denotes political allegiance to the nation; domicile concerns a person’s permanent home and civil status.

It held that State domicile was legally recognisable in India, including because States could have distinct personal laws under the Concurrent List. It further held that domicile was not synonymous with place of birth and, therefore, residence-based preferences did not violate Article 15(1). Under Article 14, the classification was upheld as reasonable and rationally connected to a legitimate objective: enabling the State to support its residents and secure the availability of locally trained doctors.

Pradeep Jain (1984), decided by a three-judge Bench, departed from the binding five-judge precedent in D.P. Joshi (1955). It asserted that India has only one indivisible legal system and one domicile. Although it acknowledged that residence requirements were not barred by Article 15(1), it invoked Article 14 to restrict State preferences and justify the AIQ.

In doing so, a smaller Bench diluted a larger Bench ruling. It also effectively imported ‘residence’ into Article 15(1), where the Constitution prohibits discrimination on specified grounds, including place of birth — but not residence. This casts serious doubt on the constitutional validity of Pradeep Jain (1984).

2. Federal overreach: The compulsory surrender of State seats to a central pool also disturbs the constitutional distribution of powers under the Seventh Schedule. Entry 66 of List I confines the Union’s role to the ‘coordination and determination of standards’ in higher education. It cannot be stretched, by judicial fiat, to permit the appropriation of seats in institutions created, funded and administered by States. Nor can ‘standards’ authorise the Union, or the Court, to commandeer capacity built by State taxpayers and redistribute it nationally.

Consent-based all-India pool

The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee on Union–State Relations has therefore recommended that the AIQ, in its present form, be dispensed with. It should be replaced by a cooperative model under which States may voluntarily contribute seats of their choosing to an all-India deficit-region pool, reserved for candidates from regions with demonstrable infrastructural deficits. Such a framework would avoid the adverse consequences of the present model for States, and ensure that seats contributed by well-endowed States benefit only candidates from regions with few or no medical colleges.

— The author is retired IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, former Vice-Chancellor of Indian Maritime University, Chennai, and Member, High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu

Tamil, one of the most preferred regional language options, has also recorded a decline for the second consecutive year, although registrations recovered marginally this year.

The number of candidates opting for the Tamil question paper peaked at 36,335 in 2024, then dropped sharply to 26,580 in 2025. In 2026, registrations increased slightly to 29,845, but remained well below the 2024 level.

Despite the recent decline, Tamil registrations have grown significantly over the longer term, rising from 19,868 in 2019 to 31,965 in 2022 and 30,536 in 2023 before peaking in 2024.

The NTA data shows that the shift away from regional languages is not limited to Tamil. Marathi registrations have plunged from 31,239 in 2019 to just 1,144 in 2026, while Odia has fallen from 31,490 to 716 during the same period. Gujarati registrations have also declined from 59,395 to 49,647, while Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu and Punjabi continue to account for relatively small numbers of candidates.

In contrast, English has consolidated its position as the dominant language for NEET. Registrations in English rose from 12.04 lakh in 2019 to 18.08 lakh in 2026. Hindi registrations also increased steadily from 1.79 lakh to 3.45 lakh, indicating that candidates across several states are increasingly choosing English or Hindi over regional language question papers.

In Tamil Nadu, candidates opting for the Tamil question paper are predominantly from State Board schools, including government and government-aided institutions where Tamil remains the medium of instruction.

Educationist R Rajan said more efforts were needed to encourage Tamil medium students to appear for NEET in their mother tongue.

"We need to create an environment where more Tamil medium students choose the Tamil question paper. The importance of mother-tongue education should be reinforced while also improving the availability of quality study materials in Tamil," he told DT Next.

He noted that the limited availability of scientific terminology, reference books, and coaching material in Tamil, compared with English, remains one of the key reasons students switch to English.

The changing trend could have important implications for government school students in states where regional languages remain the primary medium of instruction. While Tamil remains among the leading regional language options in NEET, the sustained decline suggests that an increasing number of students are choosing English to access better preparation resources and a wider range of coaching materials.

The CFSs and ICDs are key logistics facilities where export and import containers are stored, handled and cleared by Customs before reaching ports or moving inland. The report says Tamil Nadu has fewer such facilities than would typically be expected for a manufacturing base of its size, indicating a gap in the logistics infrastructure supporting the state's manufacturing and export sectors.

The report also credits Tamil Nadu's dense rail network connecting the ports of Chennai, Ennore and Thoothukudi, along with strong road connectivity between Chennai, Coimbatore and Hosur, for supporting efficient movement of goods. However, industry feedback captured under the report points to poor road infrastructure around Chennai Port, with truck waiting times extending up to 36 hours, affecting freight movement and operational efficiency.

The report attributes Tamil Nadu's top ranking in the infrastructure pillar in part to its efficient port infrastructure. The state ranked third in turnaround time at ports weighted by capacity, while electricity downtime is 4 per cent below the large-state average and transmission and distribution (T&D) losses are about 3 per cent lower than the average. It also notes that exports account for 36 per cent of the state's GSDP, above the average for large states, highlighting the importance of an efficient logistics network to its manufacturing-driven economy.

The observations come as several freight infrastructure projects are under way in and around Chennai, including the Chennai Port-Maduravoyal elevated corridor, the proposed Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Mappedu and truck holding yards planned outside the port to streamline cargo movement and reduce congestion.

The report assesses infrastructure using both official data and investor feedback across logistics, warehousing, energy and digital infrastructure. For logistics, it considers indicators such as port turnaround time and gathers industry feedback on factors including berth availability, cargo handling, road connectivity and other port infrastructure.

Among the logistics indicators, Tamil Nadu ranked third in turnaround time at ports weighted by capacity for major and non-major ports, with Gujarat coming out on top in the category.

Highlights:

Tamil Nadu ranks #3

With an overall 53.3 score, TN achieves a near 100% MoU conversion rate

Efficient ports, dense rail network, reliable power grid and impressive export performance contribute to a friendly climate

TN emerged as the most environmental resilient state, the category where Gujarat trailed at rank #8

However, the state's fiscal position, government policy and resources hold TN back from unleashing its full potential

Chennai Airport needs expansion: The report flags limited direct flights to Europe, despite hosting many European multinational companies

The report also points to limited availability of treated sewage water for industrial reuse, particularly in land locked areas and rain shadow zones

Stalin had left Chennai on July 4. During his stay in the United Kingdom, he attended the graduation ceremony of Inbanidhi, Udhayanidhi's son, who completed his higher education at a university in London. Stalin congratulated his grandson after the degree was conferred. The family also spent a few days in London before commencing their return journey.

The DMK chief was originally scheduled to arrive in Chennai on Sunday morning. However, the flight from London reached Dubai behind schedule, resulting in him missing the onward flight to Chennai. He later boarded another flight from Dubai and reached Chennai in the evening.

Senior DMK leaders, former ministers, office-bearers and a large number of party workers gathered at the airport to receive Stalin and Udhayanidhi. Cadres waved party flags and raised slogans as the two leaders arrived.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of DMK supporters had assembled at the airport expecting the leaders on the morning flight. The gathering witnessed brief tense moments after police stopped a band troupe from entering the airport premises, stating that musical performances were not permitted inside the high-security complex. DMK functionaries questioned the restriction, citing similar receptions held in the past. Following a brief exchange, police allowed supporters carrying party flags to remain but directed the musicians to leave. After airport authorities informed them that Stalin and Udhayanidhi would arrive only in the evening because of the missed Dubai connection, the supporters dispersed peacefully before returning later to welcome the two leaders.

The police conducted a search at the house of Murugadas, one of the accused in the alleged fraudulent registration of 1.40 acres of land belonging to the Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt Trust in Palani. He is the managing trustee of the Trust.

A 10-member CB-CID team, assisted by the Villupuram police, searched Murugadas' locked house in Kamaraj Nagar near NGGO Colony after opening the premises in the absence of the occupants. During the search, investigators seized more than 50 documents, including land records, property deeds, bank passbooks, a passport, Aadhaar and PAN cards, besides other registration-related records.

The investigating team also questioned local residents about Murugadas' real estate dealings and the whereabouts of his family. After completing the search, the CB-CID sealed the house and took the seized documents to Palani for further investigation.

The case relates to the alleged fraudulent sale of 1.40 acres of land belonging to the Dhandayuthapani Swamy Mutt Trust, which is administered by the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple. The land, recently converted into a parking facility for devotees by the temple authorities, was allegedly registered in favour of two individuals for Rs 2 crore on July 6.

The case was initially registered by the Palani police against former Sub-Registrar Justin Manikandan, Murugadas, and two purchasers on charges including cheating and criminal conspiracy. The State government later transferred the investigation to the CB-CID.

Rajesh Kumar said medical admissions in Tamil Nadu were based on Class 12 public examination marks until 2016 and argued that the system had ensured wider access to medical education. He alleged that the examination had become a lucrative business for private coaching centres.

Rajesh Kumar reiterated the demand that education be moved back to the State List, even though it was then-Congress Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who moved it to the concurrent list during the Emergency, contending that many of the issues surrounding NEET could be resolved if states were given greater control over admissions.

Demanding accountability, he said Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should resign over the alleged lapses in the conduct of NEET.

"If a candidate can secure a postgraduate medical seat merely by appearing for the examination, why should such a test be conducted at all?" he asked, citing discrepancies in the UG and PG admission process.

Rajesh Kumar said the State government had consistently maintained that NEET was detrimental to rural students and added that Congress would launch a major statewide protest against the examination under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Manickam Tagore.

He further alleged that there had been more than 150 instances of question paper leaks and examination-related irregularities since NEET was introduced in 2016, and called for a comprehensive review of the system.

Speaking to reporters after the party's general council meeting in Tiruvarur, senior leader and Minorities Welfare Minister Shahjahan said the council adopted a resolution in this regard, reaffirming the IUML's decision to continue the alliance in the forthcoming elections.

The comment assumed significance, as the coalition partners, including the smaller parties sharing power in the State government, have not formally come together as an alliance yet, nor have they agreed on even a name for the partnership. Also, many of the partners, especially the CPI and CPM, and the VCK, are not on board with the TVK over a variety of issues, including the alleged poaching of MLAs from the opposition AIADMK.

Earlier, after the previous general council meeting of the party in Chennai on June 20, IUML president KM Khader Mohideen had said that the party would take a decision on its future electoral alliance only after the bypolls and local body elections are announced. He added that the IUML expected adequate representation in future elections, including local body polls.

The decision on Sunday indicates the party's desire for a larger role in the alliance with the TVK, and also its efforts to corner respectable tickets in local body polls.

He appealed to the Chief Minister not to fall for the claims of vested interests on the issue.

Launching a signature campaign organised by Pasumai Thaayagam at Pondy Bazaar in T Nagar to demand protection of the Pallikaranai marsh, Anbumani Ramadoss and PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani appealed to the State government to notify and safeguard the ecologically sensitive wetland.

Addressing the gathering, Sowmiya Anbumani said wetlands play a crucial role in groundwater recharge and flood mitigation. She noted that despite having three rivers, Chennai continues to face water shortages and stressed that protecting the marshland is essential to ensuring the city's long-term water security.

Speaking at the event, Anbumani described Pallikaranai as Chennai's "lifeline" and "natural drainage system". He said the marshland, which once spanned nearly 15,000 acres, had shrunk to around 2,500 acres due to urbanisation and encroachment.

"Chennai has been blessed with four natural assets: the Adyar, Cooum and Kosasthalaiyar rivers, and the Pallikaranai marsh. The marsh stores and regulates water brought by these rivers. If Chennai is to avoid floods, Pallikaranai must be protected," he said.

Recalling the 2015 floods, Anbumani said large-scale destruction of wetlands had prevented floodwaters from draining naturally. He alleged that real estate interests were attempting to encroach upon the remaining marshland and criticised past administrations for permitting developments in ecologically sensitive areas.

The PMK leader also demanded that all 26,800 wetlands across the State be notified and protected. He accused the State Wetland Committee of failing to act and criticised officials and former administrators for allowing encroachments.

Calling on the TVK-led government to take immediate action, Anbumani urged Chief Minister Vijay to define and officially notify the marshland's boundaries to prevent further encroachments.

He said signatures collected through the campaign would be submitted to the Chief Minister and the concerned department minister, warning that stronger forms of protest could follow if action was not taken.

Acting on the directions of the Superintendent of Police B Devanathan, a special police team led by Othakadai Inspector Tamilselvan launched an investigation and arrested Ramar (26), Lakshman (26), and Praveen (34), all residents of Kayampatti Colony. The weapons allegedly used in the attack were also seized.

According to the police, the accused, belonging to a dominant caste, entered the village in the early hours of Sunday and picked a verbal quarrel with a few Scheduled Caste youth. Following the altercation, the trio, who were in an inebriated condition, allegedly assaulted Subban (70) with knives, leaving him with multiple cut injuries. Hearing the elder crying for help, residents rushed to the spot, following which the accused fled.

While escaping, the trio allegedly damaged the tiled roofs and household articles in four houses belonging to Scheduled Caste residents before fleeing. The injured man was rescued by the villagers and admitted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai for treatment. This incident triggered unrest in the locality as villagers staged a protest, demanding that the police arrest the assailants immediately.

Madurai Range DIG Abhinav Kumar and Madurai Superintendent of Police B. Devanathan rushed to the village and pacified the protesters, assuring them that they would arrest the trio soon.

Police have deployed over 100 personnel in the village to maintain law and order. SP Devanathan warned that anyone involved in caste-based violence would face stringent legal action, including detention under the Goondas Act.

He described the excavations as significant not only for Tamils but also for world civilisation.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the Keezhadi Open-Air Museum in Sivaganga district and the historic Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions and Jain rock beds at Mangulam near Madurai, the minister said the archaeological discoveries at Keezhadi, including brick structures, drainage systems, bead-making evidence and industrial remains, highlighted the sophistication of early Tamil civilisation.

He said the State government would continue scientific excavations at Keezhadi in consultation with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to take it to the global stage, and hinted that more significant archaeological discoveries from other sites in the State would be announced at an appropriate time with adequate scientific evidence.

During his visit to Mangulam, Rajmohan examined the ancient rock beds and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in the presence of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director and Archaeology Department Director Jeyaseelan, Madurai Collector M Nishanth Krishna and local legislators.

Describing the Mangulam Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions as one of the oldest historical treasures dating back to the Sangam era, he said the government had instructed the Archaeology and Tourism Departments to improve basic infrastructure, install digital information and wayfinding boards, and strengthen conservation measures to make the site more accessible to tourists and researchers. He added that a detailed report on the site's conservation and development would be submitted to Chief Minister Vijay.

In a government release, the Chief Minister congratulated Tamil film personalities on this historic feat, as the film fraternity hadn't reached the double-digit mark at the national level in recent years.

Chief Minister Vijay extended his congratulations to all the award winners and said the recognition reflected the creative excellence and enduring strength of the State’s film industry.

The Chief Minister noted that the Dhanush-starrer Raayan, directed by the actor, was adjudged the Best Tamil Feature Film. The release also pointed out that Captain Miller won the Best Film Promoting National, Social and Environmental Values award, while actor Dhanush received the Special Jury Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film.

Rajkumar Periasamy was named Best Director for Amaran. R Kalaivanan won the award for Best Editing, while G V Prakash Kumar secured the Best Background Score honour for the same film; the release added, sharing CM Vijay's confidence in the industry's capabilities.

CM Vijay also praised the filmmakers of Maharaja, as Anal Arasu was recognised with the Best Action Direction award, and Sachana Namidass received the Best Supporting Actress award. G Suren was honoured with the Special Jury Award for Best Sound Mixing for Meiyazhagan, while TS Harihara Sudhan won the Best Sound Design award for the short film Blue, the release pointed out.

“Winning 10 National Film Awards is a proud achievement for Tamil cinema. I congratulate all the artists and technicians and wish the industry many more such laurels in the years ahead,” CM Vijay said.

The transfer was carried out under heavy police security after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Kalaiarasan, questioned the accused inmates and other prisoners and reportedly gathered crucial evidence in the case.

The victim, Sabari Varman, a grocery shop owner from Eethankadu near Samithoppu, was arrested in a gutka-related case and remanded to judicial custody. He died inside the prison on July 13.

Police alleged that prison warders and a group of inmates tied up Sabarivarman before assaulting him. Three prison warders — Jagan, Suresh and Sivakumar — have been arrested and suspended from service, while eight inmates have also been arrested in connection with the case.

Following the incident, Sabarivarman's family initially refused to receive the body, demanding that the post-mortem findings be made public. They withdrew the protest after the district administration assured them of action. The State government announced a relief package, including Rs 10 lakh, a house site with free housing, educational assistance and a government job for an eligible family member.

The green body was hearing the matter where it had taken suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report regarding the gas leak.

In an order dated July 2, made available recently, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad observed that the matter indicates a prima facie violation of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, besides raising "substantial issues" on compliance with environmental norms.

The tribunal noted several glaring safety lapses during the initial probe by authorities.

"Several violations, including industrial safety norms, were noted against the proponent (sea food processing unit). A suitable alarm system, fire hydrant, or Form 12 register for the Employee State Insurance (ESI) scheme were not found," the bench said.

It mentioned that while the Tamil Nadu government has provided Rs 2 lakh compensation to the families of the deceased, the matter requires investigation into environmental compliance.

The tribunal impleaded as parties or respondents the Member Secretary of the Central CPCB, the Member Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), the Chennai Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), and the District Magistrate of Tiruvallur.

"Issue notice to the above respondents for filing their response/reply by way of affidavit before the Southern Zonal Bench of the tribunal (in Chennai) at least one week before the next date of hearing (on August 31)," the green tribunal said.

Citing jurisdictional reasons, the tribunal has transferred the case to its Southern Zonal Bench in Chennai for further proceedings. The respondents have been directed to file their replies via affidavit at least one week before the next hearing.

The matter is scheduled for hearing before the Southern Zonal Bench on August 31.

Addressing a press conference in Madurai, Moorthy challenged Nirmalkumar to produce proof for the allegation that he had received a 20 per cent commission from illegal property registrations.

Substantiate allegations with proof, Moorthy challenges minister

"There are 589 Registration Offices in Tamil Nadu. Every Registration Office maintains records. If the Law Minister claims that I interfered in any registration or received a 20 per cent commission, let him produce evidence and identify the Registration Office, the officials involved, and the transaction concerned," Moorthy said.

"The only reason I am responding today is that if someone repeats a false allegation 10 times, people may begin to believe it is true. I have only one request to him – prove your allegation with evidence," he said.

TVK-led govt has no achievement to show

The DMK leader alleged that instead of explaining what the present government had achieved during its first 60 days in office, Minister Nirmalkumar was repeatedly referring to the previous five years under the DMK government and alleging that illegal registrations had taken place during that period.

"I openly state that during my five years as registration minister, I never instructed even a single Sub-Registrar to register any property in violation of the law," he claimed, adding that if there had been isolated instances of wrongdoing, departmental authorities would have taken action against the officials concerned.

Moorthy accused Nirmalkumar of making allegations against him to evade direct questions on the issue. He further alleged that the minister had spent the past 60 days holding press conferences instead of concentrating on the two departments under his charge. "He speaks about every department as though he is a shadow chief minister," he claimed.

Rs 100-crore Palani temple land sale scam

Referring to the Rs 100-crore Palani temple land registration case, Moorthy claimed that temple properties cannot legally be registered because they are listed as prohibited properties in the Registration Department's records.

The former minister claimed that the officer concerned was on leave on the day in question. He further claimed that two Sub-Registrars who had handled the matter earlier had declined to register the document and that it was registered only after another official took charge. “We welcome the CB-CID investigation into issue” he said.

Measures in place to prevent illegal registration

Explaining the process of registration, the former minister said a registration token must be generated a day in advance for registering any property and a registration could not have taken place accidentally or without officials being aware of the process.

Moorthy said the Registration Department has multiple levels of supervision, including the Sub-Registrar (SR), District Registrar (DR), Deputy Inspector General (DIG), and Additional Inspector General (AIG).

"Whether it is temple land, government land, waterbody poramboke land, Waqf Board property, or any other prohibited property, registration cannot be carried out because the government has flagged it (as prohibited) in the sub-registrar office," he said.

Moorthy cites Tirupparankundram example

Citing the Tirupparankundram temple as an example, Moorthy said even long-time occupants of temple land could not obtain ownership because the properties continued to stand in the name of the HR&CE Department.

“The entire village in front of the Tirupparankundram temple had been occupied by people who had been paying taxes and living there for 50 or 60 years. However, about five years ago, those lands were identified as belonging to the temple and were brought under the temple's ownership,” said Moorthy, adding that this demonstrated that the Registration Department did not permit the registration of temple properties.

The issue was raised by DMK leader Tiruchi Siva at the customary all-party meeting convened ahead of the Monsoon session of Parliament, which begins on Monday.

"The DMK is in favour of the Women's Reservation Bill on the current strength in the Lok Sabha, but we want more clarity on the delimitation issue," he told reporters after the meeting.

Siva said the delimitation exercise should not adversely affect the southern states and sought greater clarity from the government.

"If it affects the southern states, it should be put in abeyance for 25 years," Siva said.

Police sources on Sunday (July 19) said that the incident unfolded on the evening of July 15, when the victim was talking with a male friend.

Vinoth Kumar, a constable attached to the Thudiyalur police station who was on patrol duty, spotted the duo.

Instead of passing by or ensuring their safety, the officer cornered the couple and aggressively questioned their presence there.

He then ordered the young woman to step aside for a separate inquiry.

Once isolated, the constable reportedly targeted her with obscene language and subjected her to sexual harassment.

Traumatised by the ordeal, the woman broke down and informed her friend, who immediately escalated the matter by lodging a formal complaint detailing the officer's predatory behaviour with senior police officials.

Taking swift action, top brass conducted a preliminary inquiry, resulting in Vinoth Kumar’s immediate suspension and subsequent arrest.

Addressing a press conference in Madurai, Mr. Moorthy challenged Mr. Nirmal Kumar to produce proof for his allegation that he had received a 20 per cent commission from illegal property registrations.

"There are 589 Registration Offices in Tamil Nadu. Every Registration Office maintains records. If the Law Minister claims that I interfered in any registration or received a 20 per cent commission, let him produce evidence and identify the Registration Office, the officials involved and the transaction concerned," Mr. Moorthy said.

"The only reason I am responding today is that if someone repeats a false allegation ten times, people may begin to believe it is true. I have only one request to him—prove it with evidence," he said.

Mr. Moorthy alleged that instead of explaining what the present government had achieved during its first 60 days in office, the Law Minister Nirmal Kumar was repeatedly referring to the previous five years under the DMK government and alleging that illegal registrations had taken place during that period.

"I openly state that during my five years as Registration Minister, I never instructed even a single Sub-Registrar to register any property in violation of the law," he said, adding that if there had been isolated instances of wrongdoing, departmental authorities would have taken action against the officials concerned.

Referring to the ₹100-crore Palani temple land registration case, Mr. Moorthy claimed that temple properties cannot legally be registered because they listed as prohibited properties in the Registration Department's records.

"Whether it is temple land, government land, waterbody poramboke land, Waqf Board property or any other prohibited property, registration cannot be carried out because the government has flagged it (as prohibited) in the sub-registrar office," he said.

Citing the Tirupparankundram temple as an example, Mr. Moorthy said even long-time occupants of temple land could not obtain ownership because the properties continued to stand in the name of HR&CE Department. “The entire village in front of the Tirupparankundram temple had been occupied by people who had been paying taxes and living there for 50 or 60 years. However, about five years ago, those lands were identified as belonging to the temple and were brought under the temple's ownership., said Moorthy adding that this demonstrated that the Registration Department did not permit the registration of temple properties.

Further explaining the process of registration, the former Minister said a registration token must be generated a day in advance for registering any property and a registration could not have taken place accidentally or without officials being aware of the process.

Mr. Moorthy said the Registration Department has multiple levels of supervision, including the Sub-Registrar (SR), District Registrar (DR), Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Additional Inspector General (AIG).

Referring to the Palani temple land registration case, the former Minister claimed that the officer concerned was on leave on the day in question. He further claimed that two Sub-Registrars who had handled the matter earlier had declined to register the document and that it was registered only after another officer took charge. “We welcome CBCID investigation into issue” he said.

Mr. Moorthy accused Mr. Nirmal Kumar for making allegations against him to evading direct questions on the issue. He further alleged that the Law Minister had spent the past 60 days holding press conferences instead of concentrating on the two departments under his charge. "He speaks about every department as though he is a shadow Chief Minister," he claimed.

In a statement, Anbumani said reports suggesting that industrial officials had opposed the proposal for job reservation in private industrial and commercial establishments, if true, amounted to a betrayal of the principles of social justice.

The PMK leader said his party had consistently urged the government to honour this commitment and accused certain officials and sections of the industry of attempting to derail the initiative even before it could be implemented.

TVK's election promise

He recalled that the ruling TVK, in its Assembly election manifesto, had promised incentives for private companies that employed Tamil Nadu youth for 75 per cent of their workforce. According to the manifesto, such companies would be eligible for a 2.5 per cent subsidy on GST and a 5 per cent subsidy on electricity charges.

Stating that the proposed reservation would create greater employment opportunities for local youth, Anbumani called on the government to move beyond policy announcements and bring in a legislation to ensure it is been implemented.

He said the State should not allow vested interests to weaken measures intended to protect the employment rights of Tamil Nadu's youth and urged the government to fulfil its poll promise at the earliest.

After weathering months of legal battles, an online leak, and a highly publicised standoff with the censor board, the highly anticipated film is finally set to hit the silver screen on July 23.

Production has peaked as fans from across the state flood local manufacturers with massive orders for custom T-shirts featuring the actor-turned-politician’s portrait and movie branding to celebrate the grand theatrical release.

"Since the movie release was announced a few days back, Tirupur textile units here were working overtime to manufacture customised Jana Nayagan T-shirts," K Prabakaran, member of the Tirupur Textile Unit Association said.

Tirupur manufacturing unit turns into celebration mode

With just four days left for the movie release, over 700 knitwear units are involved in T-shirt production. To accommodate the rush, most local manufacturers are offering courier services and cash-on-delivery (COD) across Tamil Nadu.

"We haven't seen this level of excitement in years," K Seva Nathan, a local garment factory owner, said.

He noted that orders are pouring in from not just Tamil Nadu, but also neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka.

The T-shirts feature iconic stills of the CM Vijay alongside the film's title, with many orders including slogans celebrating his political journey".

According to him, printers are working double shifts to meet the deadlines before the film hits the silver screen. "For the workers, many of whom are die-hard fans themselves, this is more than just regular work, it is a tribute to their favourite star."

As Jananayagan prepares to storm the theatres, Tirupur is effectively dressing the state for what promises to be an emotional and grand farewell to one of cinema's biggest box-office productions.

A die-hard fan of actor Vijay based in Chennai, Jayanth said, "We have ordered 500 T-shirts from a Tirupur textile manufacturing unit for Vijay's fan club and we expect the delivery well before the movie release."

"The release is not just a movie premiere, but a historic cultural event," he added.

One last time

Sources from the Tamil Nadu Film Distributors' Association said the film will likely be screened in about 1,000 theatres in Tamil Nadu from July 23.

The film's journey to certification was marred by significant delays, legal interventions and piracy issues.

'Jana Nayagan' features a prominent ensemble cast, including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj and Narain.

The film has music by Anirudh Ravichander, cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan, and editing by Pradeep E Ragav.

This network will facilitate emergency care, advanced burn care, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up medical monitoring in case of fireworks accident, she said.

"The future of Sivakasi (a fireworks hub) is not only linked to industrial development but also to a safe and world-class healthcare infrastructure. Under the guidance of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, we have submitted a detailed project report on Comprehensive Firecracker Accident Management System to Health Minister K G Arunraj," she said on ‘X.’

"Through this project, our aim is to create a regional burn care and emergency medical network integrating the cities of Sivakasi – Virudhunagar – Madurai. This will be a pioneering initiative to create an integrated treatment system from the moment of an accident occurs to emergency care, advanced burn care, reconstructive surgery, rehabilitation and follow-up medical monitoring," she said.

The goal was to ensure fast, quality and modern medical care to thousands of workers working in the firecracker industry and the public, and to make Sivakasi a model for India in occupational safety and emergency health management, Keerthana said.

"Managing a city is not just about building roads and buildings. It is also about creating systems that protect the lives, hopes, and futures of the people. On that journey, we are all working together to create a safe, modern Sivakasi," the minister stressed.

On an average 10 to 20 major fire accidents take place annually in Virudhunagar district, leading to casualties. As per official statistics, it recorded 89 accidents resulting in 134 deaths and 89 injuries between 2022 and mid-2025.

A devastating explosion at a manufacturing unit in Kattanarpatti village near Sivakasi in April this year left 25 workers dead and many injured. The mishap allegedly happened due to overcrowding of workers in a single room and safety violations.

In an official release, the Chief Minister said it was a matter of pride for the state that the Tamil film fraternity secured major wins across various categories for films released in 2024.

The awards were announced in New Delhi on Saturday night.

Extending his greetings to the winners, Vijay lauded actor-director Dhanush, whose directorial venture 'Raayan' won the award for best Tamil film. Dhanush also earned a special mention for best actor for his performance in 'Captain Miller'.

The CM congratulated the team of 'Amaran', which swept three key categories. Rajkumar Periasamy won best director, R Kalaivanan secured best editing and G V Prakash Kumar bagged the award for best background music.

The official release further highlighted the achievements of the film 'Maharaja,' which saw Anal Arasu winning best stunt choreography and Sachana Namidass securing the best supporting actress honour.

Other notable winners from the state included Suren G, who received a special mention in audiography for the film 'Meiyazhagan', and T S Hariharasudhan, who won best sound design for the short film 'Blue'.

Wishing the fraternity continued success, the Chief Minister expressed hope that the Tamil film industry would bring home many more such accolades in the future.

The paddy procured from farmers has been stacked at the centre for over 20 days.

Some of the gunny bags have been damaged, and goats from nearby areas feed on the spilt grain, causing further damage.

Farmers said if paddy bags are stolen during the night, it would be difficult to identify those responsible due to the lack of adequate security at the centre.

According to Villupuram South District Secretary of the TVK, N Mohanraj, Gnanasoundari “teamed up with opponents and made false allegations, and conducted herself contrary to the party’s policies, discipline and regulations.” She was removed from the primary membership of the party on July 17, Mohanraj said in a statement. He advised the party members not to have any contact with her.

Gnanasoundari, an advocate, had moved the Madras

High Court against TVK senior leaders over the appointment of government advocates in Villupuram district, alleging that bribes were paid for temporary appointments of government pleaders - a charge rejected by the party.

The party’s action on her follows the court disposing of her public interest litigation on July 17, after the Advocate General clarified that the current appointments were only temporary and that the formal appointment process involving thousands of candidates would take about three to six months.

The court noted that the names of certain leaders were included in the petition to hog media attention and ordered that the names be dropped from the petition after her counsel agreed to drop the leaders’ names from the petition.

Gnanasoundari, an advocate, had moved the Madras High Court against TVK senior leaders over the appointment of government advocates in Villupuram district, alleging corruption

"The 38.5-km stretch, extending from Paramanandal to Athipattu and forming part of the Paramanandal-Jamunamarathur route, serves as the primary access road for 217 tribal villages in the Jawadhu Hills. It is the region's lifeline for education, healthcare, employment, agricultural trade and other essential services, while also providing connectivity for tourists visiting the hill station.

Recognising its significance, the Tamil Nadu government announced the preparation of a Detailed Project Report for widening the road during the 2022-23 Budget," a release issued by the Highways department read.

The project subsequently received administrative sanction for Rs 120 crore. However, as more than 23 km of the alignment passes through reserved forest land, execution depended on obtaining statutory approvals from multiple agencies.

The proposal for diversion of forest land was revised and resubmitted in May 2025 before being examined by the Project Screening Committee, the State Forest Department and the Regional Office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Stage-I forest clearance was accorded on February 11, 2026, while the final stage-II approval was granted on June 18 after the proposal received clearance from the Central Empowered Committee constituted under the directions of the Supreme Court.

The contract has been awarded to CDR Infracon Limited. Official progress reports show that 3.5 km of granular sub-base work has been completed, besides the construction of 10 pipe culverts and 23 box culverts. Bridge works, drainage, retaining walls and other civil works are under way.

While the contract envisaged 25 per cent completion by June 21, around 20 per cent of the work has been completed so far.

Officials said the remaining works are being accelerated to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated contractual period.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, dismissed the petition filed by Chennai-based Viswanathan, who had challenged the Government Order dated July 24, 2025, issued for the construction of the bus stand adjacent to the temple.

The bench noted that the petitioner had earlier filed a writ petition seeking to restrain the government from proceeding with the project. That petition was dismissed on June 10, 2026, after the court examined the merits of the case and found that the bus stand was being constructed in accordance with law.

Observing that the GO was already in existence when the earlier petition was filed, the court held that the petitioner could not mount a fresh challenge to the same order after the earlier writ petition had been dismissed on merits.

Holding that the second writ petition seeking identical relief was not maintainable, the bench said filing successive petitions on the same issue amounted to misuse of the process of law.

The court dismissed the PIL with costs of Rs 10,000 and directed the petitioner to pay the amount to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority within one month.