The Commission has announced September 9 as the last date to apply online. The common preliminary examination will be held on November 1 from 9.30 am to 12.30 pm, while the dates for the main examinations will be announced later.

The recruitment includes posts such as Deputy Commercial Tax Officer, Probation Officer, Sub Registrar Grade-II and Assistant Inspector under Group II, and Senior Inspector, Assistant, Accountant, Executive Officer Grade-II and Audit Inspector under Group IIA.

Candidates will have to clear a common preliminary examination followed by separate main examinations for Group II and Group IIA. Final ranking will be based on marks secured in Paper II of the respective main examination.

The preliminary examination fee is Rs 100. Candidates have to apply online after completing One Time Registration.

Liphin Ponnusamy Leela of Vilavancode in Kanniyakumari district filed the petition, contending that the blanket ban imposed by the State government on transporting minerals across Tamil Nadu’s borders had brought his lawful business to a standstill, causing immense financial distress and resulting in a breach of existing commercial contracts. At the previous hearing, the court had directed the State and central governments to file their responses.

When the case came up for hearing before a Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and S Sakthivel, counsel appearing for the government informed the court that a similar case had recently been heard by the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court and was pending there.

However, the Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the present petition was already pending before the Madurai Bench and urged the court to hear the matter and pass orders.

After hearing their arguments, the court directed the Registrar to transfer the petition pending before the Madurai Bench to the Madras High Court, so that the Chief Justice could consider where the matter should be heard.

Participating in the debate on the Revised Budget 2026-27 in the Assembly, Palaniswami questioned whether the government was proceeding with the Parandur project or had abandoned it. He also accused the ruling dispensation of failing to fulfil several poll promises.

"We want to know the status of the Parandur greenfield airport project. Is the government continuing it or dropping it? Anyway, Tamil Nadu needs another international airport. I urge the ruling government to construct another international airport in a drought-hit area," he said.

Palaniswami also compared the State's financial position during the AIADMK regime between 2011 and 2021 with the present situation. He said his government had faced severe financial pressures, including revenue losses from cyclones and the COVID-19 pandemic, but had kept the State's debt below Rs 5 lakh crore and controlled the prices of essential commodities.

He claimed that rice prices had increased by up to Rs 15 per kg under the TVK government, putting an additional burden on people. "If the TVK government completes its five-year term, the State's debt will touch Rs 20 lakh crore," he said.

Palaniswami also urged the School Education Department to extend the Super Clean Super Campus Scheme to all government schools and called for phased recruitment to fill 13.30 lakh vacancies across government departments.

"We cannot fill all the vacancies overnight, but steps have to be taken in phases," he said, noting that the number of retirees also increases by around seven per cent every year.

The resolution received support from the DMK, Congress, AIADMK, CPI, CPM, PMK and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi. However, the lone BJP MLA M Bhojarajan opposed the resolution and staged a walkout.

Moving the second resolution, after the erstwhile DMK regime under MK Stalin sought similar relief to the State, Health and Medical Education Minister KG Arunraj said medical education should be accessible not only to economically stronger sections but also to students with merit and dedication.

The resolution stated that NEET had led to the proliferation of coaching centres charging exorbitant fees and had diverted students' attention from the school curriculum towards exam-oriented coaching.

Arunraj said that before the introduction of NEET, students from rural, poor and socially disadvantaged backgrounds were able to secure medical education opportunities. The introduction of NEET, he alleged, had adversely affected socio-economic equality in medical admissions.

"It gravely undermines the medical education opportunities of rural and socio-economically disadvantaged students, including students whose medium of instruction is Tamil," the resolution stated.

The Assembly also urged the Union government to make necessary amendments to laws governing medical admissions, including the National Medical Commission Act, citing repeated irregularities in the conduct of NEET.

The minister said the Union government should respect the Assembly's unanimous voice, asserting that respecting the rights of States was an essential component of the federal structure.

He also reiterated the demand to bring education back from the Concurrent List to the State List, arguing that this was the only way to permanently resolve the NEET issue.

It may be noted that during the previous DMK regime, then Chief Minister MK Stalin had moved a resolution urging the Union government to grant assent to the Bill seeking exemption for Tamil Nadu from the NEET examination.

In a statement, Rajendran said the State government had provided a special incentive of Rs 192.50 per tonne during the 2020-21 crushing season, Rs 195 per tonne in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Rs 215 per tonne in 2023-24, and Rs 349 per tonne in 2024-25.

He termed the reports completely incorrect, saying that the special incentive had been increased by only Rs 156 over the past five years and that providing more than Rs 134 per tonne in a single year was unprecedented.

According to Rajendran, Rs 1,094.27 crore had been credited as special incentives to the bank accounts of 5,77,755 sugarcane farmers between 2021 and 2026.

He said the government had also provided Rs 937.20 crore in working capital loans to cooperative and public-sector sugar mills over the past five years to ensure that farmers received their sugarcane dues without delay.

Thus, a total of Rs 2,031.47 crore had been provided towards special incentives and timely payment of sugarcane dues during the five-year period, besides several other measures for the welfare of sugarcane farmers, he said.

In a statement, Anbumani alleged that the Karnataka government was proceeding with preparatory works for the project despite strong opposition from Tamil Nadu. He also criticised the Karnataka government for allegedly encouraging protests against Tamil Nadu over the issue, saying such activities could affect relations between the two states.

Anbumani said Karnataka's claim that the Mekedatu project was required to meet Bengaluru's drinking water needs was not justified. He pointed out that the Thippagondanahalli reservoir, located around 35 km from Bengaluru, currently has 2.2 TMC of water storage and a maximum capacity of 3.4 TMC, with pipeline infrastructure already in place to transport water to the city.

He claimed the Mekedatu project, if implemented, would allow Karnataka to store 184.57 TMC of water, including the capacity of existing reservoirs, and could adversely affect water availability to Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta districts.

The PMK leader also raised environmental concerns, stating that around 12,500 acres of forest land could be submerged and that wildlife habitats would be affected.

Urging the Tamil Nadu government to intensify its legal and political opposition, Anbumani called upon PMK cadres to participate in the August 15 gram sabhas and seek resolutions demanding that the Centre reject Karnataka's revised detailed project report and withdraw the permission granted to prepare the DPR.

Finance and Development Minister N Marie Wilson said in the Assembly that the SOTR had registered a 19% increase during the DMK regime and was estimated at Rs 2.29 lakh crore in the Interim Budget.

However, the actual SOTR stood at around Rs 1.92 lakh crore, the minister said.

For the current financial year, the TVK-led government has projected Rs 2.14 lakh crore under the SOTR category, indicating a relatively moderate revenue projection compared to the earlier estimate.

Minister Marie Wilson will reply on Wednesday to the debates on the General Budget, which were held over the past three days in the Assembly.

Shanmugam said only law graduates were currently eligible to apply directly for Grade-I executive officer and assistant commissioner posts in the HR&CE department, and that legal knowledge was essential for handling cases involving temple properties. He said a law degree was, therefore, necessary for the post of joint commissioner.

He alleged that the government was planning to amend Section 9 (2) of the HR&CE Act to allow non-law graduates to be appointed directly as assistant commissioners and Grade-I executive officers and to fill such posts with officials from the Revenue Department. Describing the move as inappropriate and one that could hamper the department’s functioning, he urged the government to withdraw the proposed amendment.

On rural development, Shanmugam said project director posts had so far been filled through promotion or by appointing IAS officers. He said orders had now been issued to appoint IFS officers as project directors in Theni and Kanniyakumari districts. He urged the government to withdraw GO 2731 dated July 28, 2026, arguing that officials from a different service would not be able to effectively discharge responsibilities unrelated to their cadre.

Shanmugam also opposed the reported proposal to appoint IAS officers directly as directors in medical education and research, rural medical and health services, and public health and preventive medicine. He said these posts had traditionally been filled through promotion from among doctors and argued that specialised medical departments should continue to be headed by medical professionals.

The pledge was administered to 2,000 students from 73 educational institutions at Presidency College Auditorium in Chennai and streamed to educational institutions across the State.

Chief Minister Vijay also launched the 'Drug and Tobacco Free Campus' initiative, under which institutions will orient new students on drug abuse, legal penalties, and counselling options. Anti-Drug Clubs will be strengthened, with peer ambassadors trained to identify early behavioural changes and support students.

The initiative also provides for annual health and psychological evaluations, confidential testing where required, independent counselling, and CCTV surveillance on campuses. Areas within 100 metres of educational institutions will be declared ‘No-Tobacco Zones’, with the police and Food Safety Department officials inspecting shops in these areas.

During the event, the Chief Minister witnessed the destruction of seized narcotics at Chengalpattu, Thanjavur, Coimbatore, and Tirunelveli, through video conferencing. About one lakh kg of ganja and banned tobacco products were destroyed.

Vijay also presented the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's Police Medal to 15 police personnel for their contribution in combating drug production and trafficking. Officials said 10,040 drug cases have been registered against 14,400 accused this year up to August 10. Authorities seized 17,500 kg of dry ganja, 8.9 lakh tablets, and 200 kg of other narcotic substances.

Another 13,150 cases were registered for banned tobacco sales, with 1.61 lakh kg seized. Fines totalling Rs 8.3 crore were collected and 2,744 commercial premises sealed.

“There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics. Let’s see if an alliance is formed,” she told reporters on the sidelines of a function organised at a private college in Coimbatore as part of Handloom Day celebrations.

Her remarks come amid reports that the DMK is prepared to support a Delimitation Bill to be introduced by the BJP-led Union government.

Responding to a question on the prevailing law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, Srinivasan said there had been no significant improvement. “Only the government has changed,” she said, while criticising the state government for failing to fulfil its promises to women and farmers.

Regarding the demand to scrap the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), Vanathi said the State government could approach the Supreme Court on the issue. She also said the Centre had addressed various issues related to the conduct of the NEET.

Vanathi further urged the State government to constitute a separate committee and prepare a detailed project report on the feasibility of introducing Metro Rail services in the Coimbatore and Madurai regions.

Responding to former AIADMK colleague KA Sengottaiyan's questions over praising Stalin after joining the DMK and carrying his picture instead of Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam said he could not change his ideological position and would continue to travel with the Dravidian movement. He said he would keep the Dravidian leaders Periyar, CN Annadurai, M Karunanidhi, MGR and Jayalalithaa in his mind till the end of his life.

Panneerselvam also justified carrying Stalin’s portrait, saying it was an expression of gratitude towards his leader for fighting for Tamil Nadu’s rights, who gave him the chance to be MLA again. “I have no habit of cheating others by keeping a leader’s picture in my shirt pocket,” he said.

The exchange began when Panneerselvam, during the debate on the General and Agriculture Budgets, levelled charges against the TVK-led government, alleging that its failure to implement schemes announced during the election campaign had disappointed the people.

Intervening, Floor Leader Sengottaiyan described Panneerselvam’s speech as sportive and took a dig at his political shift, saying that changing sides did not require him to praise his leader.

Panneerselvam hit back, saying it was Sengottaiyan who had first switched sides.

Joining the exchange, Minister Rajmohan said that when the Floor Leader had changed sides, he had been allowed to keep a portrait of Jayalalithaa in his shirt pocket. “But, Annan (Panneerselvam) changed his place, and I have a doubt: did he change his heart?” he asked.

Sengottaiyan subsequently questioned how Panneerselvam could claim not to have cheated others by carrying a leader’s portrait.

The Speaker intervened to defuse the exchange, after which Panneerselvam continued with his speech.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan adjourned the hearing to August 19 and directed the police to file their response and directed the trial court not to proceed with the framing of charges until then.

The case relates to the seizure of a Rs 3.98 crore from the Nellai Express at Tambaram Railway Station during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The cash was allegedly being transported for distribution to voters in the Tirunelveli, from where BJP State president Nainar Nagenthran had contested.

The CB-CID registered a case against 13 persons, including Nainar, former state general secretary (organisation) Kesava Vinayagan, and treasurer Sekar, and filed a charge sheet before the Metropolitan Magistrate, George Town Court, against all 13 accused. The charges were scheduled to be framed on August 11.

Meanwhile, Sekar approached the High Court seeking to quash the case and stay the proceedings before the trial court, arguing that the final report filed against him was arbitrary, mechanical, illegal, and perverse.

He contended that there was no evidence of any overt act, preparation, or attempt to distribute the money to any voter.

The allegation was entirely speculative and based on conjecture rather than legally admissible evidence, he claimed and sought to quash the criminal proceedings.

Appearing for the police, State Public Prosecutor John Sathyan sought time to file a counter to the petition.

In a statement, the party said Clause 4 of the Bill, which proposes to introduce Section 9D, would restrict state governments from imposing taxes, cess or levies on mineral rights and mineral-bearing lands and seek to nullify court orders on the issue.

He also alleged that Clause 5, relating to Section 13, would empower the Union government to prescribe conditions governing the states' power to levy taxes on minerals.

Manickam Tagore said the proposed amendments sought to undermine the Supreme Court's recent verdict by a nine-judge Constitution Bench, which, by an 8:1 majority, held that states have the power to levy taxes on mineral rights.

"State financial rights should not be curtailed for the benefit of corporates," the party said, opposing what it described as an attempt to centralise powers.

The party demanded that the Bill be immediately sent to a Parliamentary Standing Committee for detailed scrutiny.

He also referred to Tiruvallur MP Sasikanth Senthil, who had written to the Lok Sabha Speaker seeking the Bill's referral to the Standing Committee, and reiterated that it would oppose any move to weaken the federal structure and the constitutional powers of states.

The deceased was identified as Amuthan, a third-year engineering student at a private college near Othakkalmandapam.

According to police, a masked group entered a rented house at Poonga Nagar around 5.30 am on Monday, where Elavarasan (18), a second-year civil engineering student, was staying with his friends. The group assaulted the students and fled with a mobile phone.

Police said Elavarasan and his friends suspected Amuthan of being involved in the attack. Subsequently, around 8.30 a.m., a group of students from the affected side intercepted Amuthan and his friend Sriman, 19, while the two were travelling to college near Malumichampatti.

The students took Amuthan and Sriman to a ground behind the college campus and assaulted them with weapons. Amuthan later returned to his room at around 10 am. However, at around 3 p.m., he developed breathing difficulties and was rushed to a hospital. He died despite treatment.

The Chettipalayam police have detained five college students in connection with the incident and are conducting further inquiries to identify and apprehend others involved.

Police also said that Amuthan had been suspended from the college hostel the previous month following an assault on a cook. Further investigation is under way.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan observed that the disqualification proceedings were dropped after the MLAs sought pardon within the statutory 15-day period and questioned how the petitioner's party was affected.

After the bench warned that the plea would be dismissed with costs, the petitioner's counsel sought permission to withdraw it. The bench then dismissed it as withdrawn.

Following the TVK-led government's confidence motion in the Assembly on May 13, petitions were filed before the Speaker on behalf of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, seeking the disqualification of the 25 MLAs for allegedly supporting the government in violation of the party whip.

Similarly, a petition was filed on behalf of dissenting leader SP Velumani seeking the disqualification of 22 MLAs for allegedly voting against the confidence motion in violation of the whip that his faction had issued.

Subsequently, after four MLAs resigned and quit the party and the remaining 21 sought pardon, Palaniswami and C Vijayabaskar wrote to the Speaker withdrawing their respective disqualification petitions.

Accepting the letters from both the sides, the Speaker announced that the proceedings against the remaining 43 MLAs would be dropped.

Challenging the decision, Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi president ML Ravi had filed a PIL before the court.

It is said that M Shobana (24), daughter of Murugadas (53), from Anna Nagar in Karai village near Alathur in Perambalur, was suffering from a chronic disease for a long time, and she was undergoing treatment at Thanjavur Medical College hospital.

Due to excessive abdominal pain, Shobana, who was in deep frustration, hanged herself in a tree near her house on Monday late hours. The family members retrieved the body and passed on the information to the Padalur police, who registered a case and took the body to the Perambalur Government Hospital for post-mortem.

Meanwhile, Murugadas, who was unable to bear the loss of his daughter, hanged himself in the cow shed adjacent to his house during the early hours of Tuesday.

The Padalur police retrieved the body and sent it to the hospital. A separate case has been filed, and investigations are under way.

SM Anthony Muthu, who contested the recently concluded Assembly election from the Colachal constituency on behalf of the CPI(ML), had filed the election petition challenging Tharahai Cuthbert's victory. She had won the election by a margin of 66,207 votes.

When the petition came up for hearing before Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, advocate Narmadha Sampath, appearing for Congress MLA Tharahai Cuthbert, argued that the election petition was based only on assumptions and conjectures and should, therefore, be dismissed.

Accepting the submissions, the judge dismissed the election petition.

The federation has asked Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to increase funding for elderly welfare, citing the rapid ageing of TN’s population.

The federation said that Tamil Nadu had about 1.04 crore senior citizens in 2021, accounting for 13.6% of the population, and projected that the elderly population could rise to around 1.5 crore (18.2%) by 2031. It said the demographic shift could make TN the country’s second-highest State in terms of the proportion of elderly residents.

The organisation called for legislation to constitute a Tamil Nadu Senior Citizens Commission to implement and revise the State Policy on Senior Citizens, 2023. A draft framework prepared following an April 2025 consultation proposes a chairperson and up to nine members.

The chairperson could be a retired judge, IAS or IPS officer, or a former vice-chancellor. Five members would represent senior citizens’ associations, two NGOs, while representation is also proposed for women and Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities, the federation noted.

The federation pointed out that financial insecurity remained a major concern. It proposed increasing the old-age pension to Rs 3,000 a month and extending social-security pension coverage to 75% of elderly residents. It sought Rs 28,080 crore annually for pensions and another Rs 3,120 crore for healthcare and care infrastructure, including palliative care, medicines, shelters, old-age homes, recreation centres and medical clinics.

The document noted that only 14.18 lakh elderly were covered under the old-age pension safety net against an elderly population of 1.04 crore, while monthly assistance under various schemes ranged between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,500. It also said only over 4.51 lakh registered unorganised workers received pensions.

Speaking to DT Next, V Rama Rao, president of the federation said, “The DMK government agreed to form a commission, but since the government has changed, we have placed a similar request to the TVK government. With Kerala already having formed a commission, it’s the need of the hour for TN to step in.”

Under the proposed commission, the federation aspires for a dedicated grievance cell to operate on weekdays, while the body could investigate complaints of abuse, neglect and rights violations, inspect elderly-care institutions, coordinate government departments and provide legal assistance. It would also have civil-court-like powers to summon individuals, seek documents, receive affidavits and requisition public records.

The deceased were identified as Kalaiarasan (23) of Thoothukudi, who was riding the motorcycle, and his relative Ayyathurai (40) of Meen Thulli village near Sankarankovil.

Kalaiarasan died on the spot in the collision.

Ayyathurai suffered severe injuries and was initially taken to the Sankarankovil GH and later shifted to the Tirunelveli GMCH. But he died there on Wednesday morning.

Chinna Kovilankulam police registered a case and are investigating the accident.

After intensive raids against the drugs and illegal sale of banned tobacco materials across the region, 34,760 kgs of tobacco materials were seized. According to the official records, among the seized contraband, Pudukkottai topped with the seizure of 10,007 kg, while in Tiruchy 6,983 kg, Tiruvarur 6,642 kg, Thanjavur 5,901 kg, Ariyalur 2,313 kg, Karur 1,706 kg, Mayiladuthurai 802 kg, Nagapattinam 288 kg and Perambalur 218 kg of banned tobacco items were seized.

And the police sought the direction from the court to destroy the seized tobacco materials, and thus, on Tuesday, as a part of anti-drug awareness day, 817 kgs of ganja and 889 sedative pills were destroyed at Medicare Enviro Systems, a private firm at Sengipatti, in the presence of the IGP (Central Zone) V Balakrishnan and DIGs of Tiruchy and Thanjavur ranges.

Similarly, the remaining seized tobacco items were destroyed in the districts in the presence of the respective Superintendent of Police, said the official communication from the IGP.

Meanwhile, the anti-drug awareness pledge was administered at as many as 2,619 places, including government offices, educational institutions, factories and other private firms across the zone, in which several lakhs of people took an oath against the use of drugs.

The deceased were identified as P Poovarasi (21) and her mother, Danalakshmi (55), wife of Palanisamy of Pachapalayam.

Police said M Akshayan (22) of Dindigul, a second-year MCA student at a private college in Coimbatore, had acquainted Poovarasi through social media, and they both were subsequently in a relationship. However, Poovarasi's parents strongly opposed the relationship, following which she began avoiding his phone calls.

Police said Akshayan came to Palladam two days ago and followed Poovarasi to locate her residence when she returned from the two-wheeler showroom where she worked.

On Monday, Akshayan went to the family's house and urged Poovarasi's parents to marry her to him. The couple refused his request and asked him to leave.

Again, Akshayan returned to the house on Tuesday morning, leading to an argument over the marriage proposal. During the altercation, he allegedly locked the house from inside, took a sickle from the kitchen and attacked Danalakshmi. When Poovarasi intervened, he attacked her as well. Both women sustained severe injuries and died at the scene.

Hearing their cries, neighbours broke open the rear door of the house and apprehended Akshayan. Police said he was found sitting inside the house, staring at the bodies of the two women.

Police from Palladam police station arrived shortly afterwards and took the accused into custody. The bodies were sent to Tirupur Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. Tirupur Superintendent of Police Shristi Singh visited the scene and conducted an inquiry. Police have registered a case, and further investigations are on.

The Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel issued the direction when the Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Post Graduate Teachers Association, Chennai, sought an interim order restraining the authorities from allotting census duties to PG teachers in August 2026 and February 2027, particularly those handling Classes X and XII in government and government-aided schools in southern and central districts.

Though the association acknowledged that census duty was of vital national importance, it contended that deploying PG teachers for such duties during the ongoing academic session would seriously affect classroom teaching, completion of the prescribed syllabus and revision sessions aimed at preparing students for public examinations.

The association also contended that PG teachers teaching students from poorer sections in government and government-aided schools were being assigned census duties. In contrast, teachers in private schools continued to teach full-time. Students in private schools were comparatively from affluent economic backgrounds, it said.

The association pointed out that there were about 59 government departments in the State with numerous employees whose assistance could be sought for census work. It also said the government could consider involving NGO members in the exercise.

The petition further stated that some PG teachers in the association were aged over 55 and suffering from various health ailments. It sought their exemption from census duties on health grounds.

After hearing the submissions, the court directed the Director of Census Operations, Tamil Nadu, the Principal Secretary to the Government, School Education Department, and others to file their responses and posted the matter for further hearing on August 20, 2026.

The protesters, who refused to receive the boy’s body, staged the blockade on the Theni-Madurai highway in front of the government medical college hospital. The protest briefly affected traffic in the area.

Police from K Vilakku station held talks with the protesters and persuaded them to withdraw the agitation. The family members and lawyers later went to the district Collectorate and submitted their demands.

They sought stringent action against the doctors who allegedly provided wrong treatment to the boy, compensation for his family and a government job for one of his family members.

The deceased was identified as Nivas Kumar (14), son of Sudha of Saruthupatti near Periyakulam in Theni district.

According to the family, Nivas Kumar was admitted to the Periyakulam Government Hospital on June 2 after he developed severe cold and fever. Doctors who examined him reportedly said that he had a growth in his nose and advised an endoscopy procedure to remove it.

The family alleged that during the procedure, a tube that was supposed to be inserted through the airway was instead inserted through the food pipe. They claimed that the boy’s condition deteriorated following the procedure.

He was subsequently shifted to the Theni Government Medical College Hospital for further treatment and admitted to the intensive care unit. He remained unconscious and in a coma for more than 60 days, according to the report.

Nivas Kumar died on Monday after his condition failed to improve, the report said.

Following his death, the family submitted a petition to the Theni district Superintendent of Police seeking action in connection with the incident.

Sahu shared a photographs of an elephant making its way across a steep hillside in the Nilgiris and noted that Asian elephants are often imagined as animals of the plains, but are remarkably sure-footed.

Sahu said, "Researchers have documented wild elephants in Arunachal Pradesh at an elevation of 3,266 metres above sea level, describing it as the highest elevation ever recorded for Asian elephants."

Sahu shared the post ahead of World Elephant Day 2026, which is observed on August 12.

Pottery fragments, burial urns, beads, conch bangles and evidence of conch-cutting activity are among the archaeological remains found during a recent field survey in an area known as ‘Odai’, between Tharuvaikulam and Vellappatti.

Archaeologist A Michael Dinesh Joel, who conducted the survey with K Karuppasamy, believes the findings warrant a detailed excavation to understand the history of the region.

The survey was undertaken while looking for the cultural continuity of Pattanamarudur, where the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department is currently conducting excavations. Pattanamarudur, around 6 km from the ‘Odai’ site, was an important centre for conch-cutting and making ornaments during the medieval period.

But the evidence from the ‘Odai’ area appears to tell a longer story.

Tracing a link to Korkai

The northern part of the site has yielded evidence from the medieval period, while Sangam-era remains have been found in the southern portion.

Spread across more than 300 acres, the site has yielded black-and-red ware pottery, pottery with graffiti marks, burial urns, carnelian beads, decorated conch bangles and pieces left over from conch-cutting.

Iron slag and foreign pottery have also been found, along with medieval-period red ware, glass beads, conch and glass bangles, copper coins, terracotta figurines and pipes.

Among the more striking finds are Chinese celadon and Barcelona pottery sherds, which Joel says point to international maritime trade.

“Over the past two years, I have been conducting field surveys and documenting various archaeological sites in Thoothukudi district. While looking for the cultural continuity of the Pattanamarudur excavation, we surveyed the ‘Odai’ area,” Joel said.

“We found rare evidence dating from the Sangam period to the medieval period, along with indications of international maritime trade.”

The presence of conch-cutting waste and decorated conch bangles has also drawn attention. According to Joel, the evidence suggests that a workshop producing ornaments from conch may have operated here during the Sangam period, much like the activity associated with Korkai.

An archaeological site waiting to be explored

Korkai, an ancient port associated with the Pandya region, is well known for its links to maritime trade and conch-related industries. The findings at Vellappatti have led Joel to suggest that the area could have played a comparable role as a trading centre during the Sangam period.

The burial urns, graffiti-marked pottery and industrial remains form part of the evidence behind this possibility.

Joel has called for excavation of the Vellappatti area, saying a systematic archaeological study could help establish a clearer picture of its Sangam-era culture and maritime connections.

For now, the artefacts scattered across the site offer clues rather than definitive answers. A detailed excavation, Joel believes, could reveal whether Vellappatti was indeed part of the ancient network of settlements and trading centres that connected the southern Tamil region to the wider maritime world.

Gupta, who participated in the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting, said Karnataka expected its appeal against the order to be considered by the Supreme Court along with a pending Cauvery-related matter scheduled for hearing on August 13.

“The direction given by the CWMA is to reiterate the decision taken by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee. The committee had decided to release 12,000 cusecs for a period of 15 days, to be realised at Biligundlu,” Gupta told reporters in New Delhi.

Gupta said the state would comprehensively examine the various aspects of the order before deciding its legal course.

“There are different dimensions to this issue. There are different aspects to the problem. We will examine all of them comprehensively and then take appropriate action regarding the legal remedy available to us, what measures we can take from a legal perspective and how we can secure justice for the state,” he said.

Asked whether Karnataka had been treated unfairly by the CWMA, Gupta said the situation was “very dynamic” and cautioned that managing the water situation ahead could be difficult.

“What has happened now is that this is a very dynamic situation. Although prima facie we said that we had been treated unfairly, subsequently, when there was more rainfall in the Cauvery basin, we were able to manage the situation,” he said.

Gupta said Karnataka had presented its case before the CWMA and indicated that the state would pursue the matter legally if necessary.

The deceased was identified as E Yogesh, son of Easwaran and Selvi. According to police, Yogesh suffered an electric shock after stepping into a pool of stagnant water in which a snapped power line had fallen.

The electric wire had snapped on Monday evening during heavy rain accompanied by strong winds and had fallen near the school's water tank. On Tuesday morning, the school headmistress informed students about the damaged power line and warned them not to go near the area. However, after the midday meal, some students went to the water tank to wash their lunch boxes.

“Yogesh was not wearing footwear when he stepped into the stagnant water and suffered a severe electric shock,” police said.

Teachers rushed to the spot and used a bamboo pole to move the power line away before rescuing Yogesh. He was taken to the Mayilambadi Primary Health Centre (PHC), where doctors declared him dead.

As the news of the student's death spread rapidly, a large number of relatives and villagers gathered at the PHC and staged a protest and later blocked the road at Kuppichipalayam, disrupting traffic in the area.

A preliminary inquiry by the Bhavani police found that the school headmistress had informed the nearby Tangedco office about the snapped power line. However, no immediate action was taken to remove the damaged wire, police said.

The protesting villagers also blamed the school authorities for failing to ensure adequate safety measures despite being aware of the damaged power line. Further investigation is underway.

Eligibility: Open to SC, ST and Muslim students from any Indian state or union territory who have passed Class 12 with the required marks and have annual parental income up to Rs 5,00,000, seeking UG admission at the Chennai campus.

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship covering up to 100 per cent of tuition fee, hostel accommodation, food and examination fee.

Last Date to Apply: August 12

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The direction was passed at a meeting of the CWRC chaired by Chairperson Vineet Gupta.

A meeting of the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) is scheduled to be held later in the day.

The CWMA had directed Karnataka earlier as well to ensure the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu.

The CWRC had, at its meeting on July 28, directed that Karnataka ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu for 15 days from July 29.

The CWMA subsequently upheld the order and directed Karnataka to comply with it.

However, Tamil Nadu has alleged that Karnataka has failed to release the stipulated quantity of water.

According to the Tamil Nadu government, the flow recorded at Biligundlu ranged between 158 cusecs and 550 cusecs between July 29 and August 2.

The latest development comes amid Tamil Nadu's legal challenge over the issue.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear on August 13 a plea filed by the Tamil Nadu government seeking directions to Karnataka for the immediate release of its share of Cauvery water.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana took note of the submissions made by the counsel representing Tamil Nadu that the state is not receiving its due share of Cauvery water in a rain-deficient year.

"We will list it for hearing on Thursday," the CJI said.

The C Joseph Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government approached the Supreme Court on August 3, seeking directions to Karnataka for an immediate release of its allocated share of Cauvery water.

In its plea, Tamil Nadu has claimed that the quantum recommended by the CWRC as well as the actual quantity released by Karnataka is far less than what is required.

The same Madurai District Trisha Welfare Association, which recently claimed her political entry, has once again covered the walls "condemning" the AIADMK leader's veiled dig at Trisha, linking her to the TVK at a party meeting in Thoothukudi. The absence of any official denial from TVK or Trisha over the poster campaigns has lent credence to rumour mills.

The posters have "warned" the AIADMK leader against making remarks intended to demean the relationship between Vijay and Trisha, calling them highly condemnable.

The retort was to the former Deputy Leader of Opposition's remarks made at an AIADMK Jayalalithaa Peravai meeting in Thoothukudi on August 8. At the meeting, Udhayakumar said that when the issue of Cauvery water was raised, party cadres (TVK) would retort, “Cauvery? What water? Who was it that spoke about our sister-in-law Trisha?”

Udhayakumar said, “Vijay, a trouser-clad boy who was born only yesterday, is trying to usurp and destroy the AIADMK.” He followed it up with a viral video, grabbing national headlines, on when Trisha would be made Deputy Chief Minister by the TVK.

Following his remarks, Arun Kumar, treasurer of the Thoothukudi suburban district unit of the TVK, filed a petition with Thoothukudi District Superintendent of Police Sivaprasad on August 10, seeking action against Udhayakumar for allegedly making derogatory and insulting remarks about the Chief Minister.

Against this backdrop, the Trisha Welfare Association has put up the latest posters. “We cannot tolerate anyone speaking wrongly about her. If you cross the line, we will be forced to stage massive protests across the State,” the poster says. It ends with the slogan, “Women are the eyes of our country.”

The said organisation's earlier poster, put up on August 3, hailing Trisha, also didn't receive any denial, fuelling speculation. So far, there has been no official confirmation as to whether the association was formed with the actor's consent. TVK also hasn't officially distanced itself from the poster promotions or their contents linked to the ruling party.

School Education Minister Rajmohan introduced the resolution in the House and it said that the provisions of the FCRA Amendment Bill may adversely affect the autonomy of charitable organisations and in particular the functioning of educational and social welfare institutions run by minorities.

Any amendment must ensure natural justice, proportionality, protection of property rights, legitimate expectation and federalism.

"While ensuring transparency and accountability in foreign contributions, it must also protect the rights of lawfully functioning charitable, educational, medical, religious, cultural and social welfare organisations," according to the resolution tabled in the House.

MLAs have been invited by Speaker JCD Prabhakar to speak on the resolution.

Premalatha Vijayakanth, chief of DMDK, spoke supporting the resolution.

Moving the resolution, Health and Medical Education Minister KG Arunraj said medical education should be accessible not only to economically stronger sections but also to students with merit and dedication.

The resolution stated that NEET had led to the proliferation of coaching centres charging exorbitant fees and had diverted students' attention from the school curriculum towards NEET-oriented coaching.

Arunraj said that before the introduction of NEET, students from rural, poor and socially disadvantaged backgrounds were able to secure medical education opportunities. The introduction of NEET, he alleged, had adversely affected socio-economic equality in medical admissions.

"NEET gravely undermines the medical education opportunities of rural and socio-economically disadvantaged students, including students whose medium of instruction is Tamil," the resolution stated.

The Assembly also urged the Union government to make necessary amendments to laws governing medical admissions, including the National Medical Commission Act, citing repeated irregularities in the conduct of NEET.

The Minister said the Union government should respect the unanimous voice of the Assembly, asserting that respecting the rights of States was an essential component of the federal structure.

He also reiterated the demand that education be brought back from the Concurrent List to the State List, arguing that this was the only way to permanently resolve the NEET issue.

The resolution received support from the DMK, Congress, AIADMK, CPI, CPI(M), PMK and Manithaneya Jananayaga Katchi.

However, the BJP opposed the resolution and staged a walkout from the Assembly.

He administered a pledge on the occasion, focusing on personal responsibility, family protection, rehabilitation support, and state growth.

The pledge commits individuals to avoid drug use, guide others away from addiction, support rehabilitation efforts, and actively aid the government in eliminating illegal substances in Tamil Nadu.

A large number of people undertook e-pledge through the Drug-Free Tamil Nadu portal, an official said.

It may be noted that the state government had established a specialised Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) wing with district-level branches.

Also, the government had introduced "Drug-Free Tamil Nadu App" allowing both students and teachers to anonymously report illicit drug activities in the vicinity.

Youth volunteer groups have been trained to secure school environments and run localised peer-to-peer anti-drug campaigns.

The annual festival began at midnight, drawing more than 10,000 male devotees from surrounding villages, including Natham, Kuttupatti, Pathasirukudi, Kumarapatti, Pudur, Kuttur and Mambatti.

Tradition followed at Ponnar Shankar Swamy temple

As part of the tradition, devotees donated 101 goats as offerings to the deity. Following the midnight rituals, young men gathered to skin and clean the goats, after which the meat was cooked in large vessels as part of the community feast.

The festival is traditionally attended exclusively by men, who participate in the rituals and feast as part of their religious observance and to fulfil their vows.

Rice balls and mutton curry

After the customary rituals, rice balls were prepared and offered to Ponnar Shankar Swamy. In a unique practice associated with the temple, the lights inside the sanctum sanctorum were switched off following the offering.

The rice balls were then tossed upwards towards the sky as part of the unusual ritual.

Following the ceremony, the food prepared for the occasion was served to the participating devotees. Men who had gathered for the festival were served rice balls and mutton curry on banana leaves.

The annual gathering, marked by its distinctive rituals and community feast, continues to draw thousands of devotees from villages in and around Natham.

Water release from Karnataka fluctuates

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the southwest monsoon has intensified in Karnataka over the past few days, increasing inflows into several reservoirs in the Cauvery basin. As the reservoirs filled up, water was released from the Kabini dam into the Cauvery for Tamil Nadu from August 1.

The quantum of water released from Kabini has been increased or reduced depending on the inflow into the reservoir. At its peak, the release was increased to 27,000 cusecs. The Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dam also released around 1,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu.

However, rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas subsequently reduced, resulting in a fall in inflows into the reservoirs in Karnataka. Consequently, the amount of water released to Tamil Nadu was also gradually reduced.

Inflow rises at Mettur

Despite the reduction in releases, the water released from Karnataka continues to reach Hogenakkal in Tamil Nadu.

As per the latest readings on Tuesday morning, the inflow at Hogenakkal increased from 5,760 cusecs to 7,151 cusecs. Around 1,500 cusecs of water is currently being released from Mettur dam to meet drinking water requirements.

Initiating a discussion, Panneerselvam (who had joined the DMK before the Assembly polls) alleged that the TVK government had failed to honour its key electoral promises, particularly the enhanced monthly financial grant for women and the distribution of six free LPG cylinders annually.

"The public voted for a change, but they have been left greatly disappointed. These poll manifesto promises ought to have been announced as flagship schemes, but the government has failed to do so," Panneerselvam, formerly AIADMK leader, remarked, asserting that public sentiment had turned against the administration.

Refuting the charges, Leader of the House K A Sengottaiyan reminded that the government had a five-year mandate to fulfil its commitments.

The debate quickly turned personal as members traded barbs over changing political allegiances.

"As you yourself once noted, it is impossible to create history in just three months. If you managed to accomplish such a feat during your tenure, please enlighten us," Sengottaiyan countered. He added that it was strange to label the budget "a disappointment" when the general public was actively appreciating the government’s performance.

Taking a swipe at the Opposition party leader’s recent political realignment, Sengottaiyan remarked, "Just because you have shifted alliance, it does not mean you should sing paeans for your new leader."

Responding to the jibe, Panneerselvam pointed out that Sengottaiyan himself had switched political camp (from the AIADMK to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK) in the past.

The sharp verbal duel soon turned to "photos and loyalties" when School Education Minister A Rajmohan drew the House's attention to sartorial choices, noting, "Look at Minister Sengottaiyan - he still carries the photograph of (late Chief Minister) J Jayalalithaa in his shirt pocket. But look at Panneerselvam; he has not only changed his place, but also the photo closest to his heart."

Public Works and Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna echoed the sentiment, praising Sengottaiyan for retaining the late leader's image despite changing parties.

Hitting back, Panneerselvam stated that leaders like Periyar, Anna, M Karunanidhi, M G Ramachandran, and J Jayalalithaa remained in his heart.

"We do not believe in putting on a show to mislead the public," he retorted, defending his current stance, and emphasised his allegiance to the Dravidian movement and his association with former Chief Minister M K Stalin’s steadfast struggle for state rights over the past five years.

"I carry his photo to express my gratitude to him," the former chief minister explained.

Taking exception to the remarks, Sengottaiyan clarified that he was not questioning personal photographs he displayed, but found the opposition leader's remarks about the budget degrading.

"He served as chief minister three times under Amma's (Jayalalithaa) leadership. The public is watching closely how he speaks today."

As heated exchanges continued, the Speaker intervened to expunge certain remarks from the official record and appealed to both sides to bring the debate back to order.

The Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel issued the direction on a PIL filed by Rama Ravikumar of Madurai district, who alleged that the statue was installed by the Dravidar Kazhagam around 1990 without permission from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

He further alleged that the statue was installed within five feet of the temple premises and that the DK flag was also installed near the statue on land belonging to the temple.

The petitioner also stated that information he received under the Right to Information Act on June 2, 2026, revealed that the EV Ramasamy statue had been installed on temple land without obtaining permission from the HR&CE dept.

Subsequently, he submitted a representation to authorities seeking its removal.

The court directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Tourism, the HR&CE Commissioner, Collector, among others, to file the status report and posted next hearing for September.

In Chennai, protests were held at Guindy, Anna Salai, Tiruvottiyur, Ambattur, Tambaram and other locations, with police detaining protesters. In North Chennai, more than 500 people were arrested after CITU, AITUC, and the several unions staged a road blockade in Madhavaram as part of the Jail Bharo agitation.

The protesters raised a 20-point charter of demands, including withdrawal of the four labour codes, the Electricity Amendment Bill and the new hit-and-run provisions, besides demanding a minimum monthly wage of Rs 42,000 for workers. They also sought restoration of a job guarantee scheme providing 200 days of work at a daily wage of Rs 700, an integrated debt waiver for farmers and poor people, implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, and withdrawal of trade agreements that they said were against the interests of the country.

The unions further demanded an end to public-sector privatisation, stake sales and outsourcing, filling of vacant posts, creation of new jobs and universal social security for workers and street vendors. Restoration of the old pension scheme, increased allocations for public education and healthcare, and measures to control price rise were among the other demands.

Speaking to reporters, CITU state secretary V Kuppusamy accused the Union government of pursuing policies favouring private and foreign corporations at the expense of workers for more than 12 years. “The government is gradually replacing permanent employment with fixed-term jobs and is now dismantling labour protections won through decades of workers’ struggles,” he added. “The labour welfare laws are now reduced to four anti-worker labour codes. These were passed in Parliament despite opposition from trade unions and without any discussion.”

Similar protests were held in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, where trade unions and farmers’ organisations sought to lay siege to Union government offices.

It is said that P Praveen Kumar (31), a resident of Kabisthalam Agraharam, and also Papanasam North Union Joint Secretary of TVK, was running an eatery in the locality. It is said that the river sand theft had been taking place in and around Kabisthalam, and so Praveen Kumar had lodged a complaint with the police.

The police seized a bullock cart and sand owned by Venkatesh (37) from Kabisthalam, who was involved in smuggling sand along with his friends Mariappan (24) and Asai Thambi Praveen (19). The police also registered a case against the three.

In such a scenario, the trio, Venkatesh, Mariappan and Praveen, went to the eatery of Praveen Kumar on Sunday night and attacked him and his friend Vasanth (19) and escaped.

The injured Praveen Kumar and Vasanth were rushed to Kumbakonam GH, where they have been undergoing treatment. On Monday, the police arrested Mariappan, and a search is on for Venkatesh and Praveen.

A delegation comprising Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch (DSMM) national VP and former MP Subhashini Ali, AIDWA national VP Vasuki, DSMM national VP Samuel Raj, TNUEF general secretary Sugandhi and others met the commission at its office in Egmore and submitted a set of recommendations.

The organisations sought a broad definition of caste honour crimes to cover physical, emotional, psychological, social and economic violence. They also wanted the right to choose a partner to be protected irrespective of caste, religion, gotra, community, class or economic status.

They called for specific offences to be included in the proposed law, including attempts to separate couples, threats, assault, abduction, murder, abetment of suicide, wrongful confinement, economic and social boycott, village ostracism, illegal fines, decisions of unlawful caste panchayats, public humiliation, destruction or seizure of property, eviction, sexual violence and offences under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “Protection should extend to the couples’ parents, relatives, friends, witnesses and those assisting them,” they stated.

The organisations also stressed that caste-based honour crimes were often collective and socially sanctioned and should not be treated merely as offences committed by individuals. The proposed law should cover caste mobilisation, social pressure, illegal panchayats, threats, psychological violence, collective attacks, denial of civic rights and property damage.

They sought safe houses, confidential protection, a 24x7 crisis response mechanism and a system to prevent relatives from taking protected couples into custody without judicial authorisation. They also called for Zero FIR facilities, special police cells, designated investigation and protection officers, preventive measures and identification of areas vulnerable to caste violence.

Other recommendations included special courts and prosecutors, victim and witness protection, property attachment of offenders, enhanced compensation, medical and mental health support, and financial assistance for affected students.

The organisations also sought incentives for inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, including educational assistance, employment and skill-development opportunities, and preferential access to government schemes.

They urged the commission to recommend adequate budgetary allocation and a government policy declaration against caste discrimination and honour crimes.