The certificates will also reflect the final results of candidates who had applied for re-totalling and revaluation. According to DGE, students can collect their original mark certificates from the schools they studied, while private candidates can get it from their respective exam centres. Direct private candidates can also collect the original TCs submitted while applying for the exam from their respective exam centres. For details, visit www.dge.tn.gov.in

The three-day conference, organised by the World Tamils Economic Foundation and Madras Development Society, will be held at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Public Service and Innovation Auditorium.

Representatives from more than 20 countries are expected to participate in the summit.

Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam will inaugurate the conference and deliver the keynote address, while President Dharambeer Gokhool will deliver the valedictory address and present special awards to Tamil contributors in the fields of economics and business.

India's High Commissioner to Mauritius, Anurag Srivastava, will attend as the Chief Guest. Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat have also been invited to the event.

The summit will focus on positioning Mauritius as an investment destination and a gateway to African markets, while highlighting business and industrial opportunities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The organisers said the conference would provide a platform for international trade, investment and long-term strategic economic partnerships.

A special portrait unveiling ceremony of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiar will be held on September 11. A Perarignar Anna Memorial Lecture by VIT University Chancellor Dr G Viswanathan is scheduled to be held on September 14 at the Mahatma Gandhi Institute.

Conference coordinator Dr VRS Sampath said the summit aims to strengthen economic cooperation among the global Tamil business community and create opportunities for international trade and investment.

“Private bus owners met me and sought permission to increase fares due to higher diesel prices. I told them that the matter would be taken up with the Chief Minister and officials,” he said.

Parthiban said he instructed officials to take stringent action against private buses that raised fares without approval.

Earlier, during a debate on the Revised Budget 2026-27 in the Assembly, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the government to procure more buses.

Palaniswami said 16,500 new buses were purchased by State transport undertakings between 2011 and 2021 and stressed the need to replace ageing vehicles.

Responding to Palaniswami, Parthiban said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had instructed the department to procure AC buses to improve passenger comfort.

Palaniswami, however, said old buses were still being operated and claimed their lifespan had increased from three years under the AIADMK government to seven years under the DMK regime.

With around 20,000 buses operating daily, converting them into AC buses was not practical, he said.

“AC buses are not necessary. People will be happy if ordinary buses are replaced and maintained properly,” Palaniswami said.

Parthiban replied that converting buses into AC vehicles was feasible and assured the House that steps would be taken accordingly.

In a video post, Udhayakumar alleged that producers and technicians who had worked with Vijay in his films were being appointed to key government positions.

He cited the appointments of GOAT producer Archana Kalpathi to the temple trustees appointment committee, Jana Nayagan producer Venkat Narayana as the State government’s Special Representative in Delhi, Leo co-producer Jagadish Palanisamy as Vijay’s private secretary, and Beast cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa as chairman of the State film training institute.

“Similarly, Tamil Nadu is waiting with shock and anticipation to see when an announcement will be made appointing Trisha Madam as Deputy Chief Minister,” he said.

The AIADMK leader alleged that there was a complete contradiction between the TVK government’s slogan of “born for all, life for all” and its appointments to government positions.

“Can the TVK government’s practice of making such distinctions and appointing people to government positions be accepted in a democracy? Is this democracy? If producing a film with Chief Minister Vijay is the qualification for getting a government post in Tamil Nadu, how can this be accepted as democracy?” he asked.

The blaze erupted in two flats on the 11th floor of Shanta Bhavan building at around 10 pm on Tuesday.

The fire spread to electrical wiring and installations, an AC unit and other household articles in an area of around 4,000 square feet in the two houses, the officials said.

Eight persons, including two fire personnel, were injured and rushed to two hospitals.

A two-and-a-half-year-old child, identified as Abir, and a woman, Ankita (23), were declared brought dead at the Nanavati Hospital, a civic official said.

Four other injured persons were also treated at the hospital, and two were later discharged. The condition of two others was reported to be stable.

The two injured fire personnel -- Manoj Sonavane (30) and Shivam Dwivedi (29) -- were rushed to the nearby Cooper Hospital for treatment and were later discharged, officials said.

Firefighters rushed to the spot after the incident, and the blaze was extinguished by 1 am on Wednesday, they said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, they added.

The allocation comprises Rs 7,586 crore as the Centre's 60 per cent share and Rs 5,057 crore as the State's 40 per cent contribution. The scheme, implemented from 2026, provides up to 125 days of guaranteed employment, replacing the earlier 100-day provision, Anand said.

"The continued need for the scheme in rural Tamil Nadu, particularly among SC, ST and differently abled workers, has been taken into consideration," he said. Anand said the government would implement the Vetri 150 Days Scheme at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

Under the new arrangement, employment under the rural job scheme will be suspended for up to 60 days during peak agricultural seasons to ensure adequate labour for farm operations. The scheme will also focus on creating durable and productive community assets.

DMK MLA Senthil Kumar urged the government to reconsider the 60-day suspension and ensure uninterrupted employment for rural workers. He also sought the immediate release of pending instalments under the Kalaignar Kanavu Illam scheme, stating that payments were delayed despite several houses completing construction stages.

Anand assured the House that he would discuss both issues with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and take appropriate action.

Replying to AIADMK general secretary and Edappadi MLA K Palaniswami, Anand said a project report was being prepared to implement the initiative in two phases over 136 km across 12 districts.

The detailed project report for the first phase has been prepared and forwarded to the Environment Department for technical approval, he said.

The National River Conservation Directorate has approved Rs 934 crore for the project, with the Centre and State contributing 60:40. The Centre's share is Rs 560.58 crore, while the State's is Rs 373.72 crore.

The State will also bear Rs 377.98 crore towards operation and maintenance for 15 years, taking the overall estimated cost to Rs 1,312.28 crore.

"The proposal is under the government's consideration. The DPR for the second phase is also being prepared," Anand said.

He added that the government would consult officials from the relevant departments and technical experts before making a final decision on whether to implement the project.

The Basic Science Promotion Programme, introduced under a GO in June 2025 from the Higher Education Department, provides intensive academic training and continuous free mentorship to undergraduate and postgraduate students in mathematics, physics and chemistry.

In the first batch, 180 students were selected for structured training and regular academic guidance to prepare for national-level entrance examinations. Of them, 17 students qualified in GATE and IIT-JAM exams, while seven students secured admission to premier institutions. They gained admission to institutions including IIT Madras, IIT Tirupati, NIT Puducherry and NIT Calicut.

Following the success of the first batch, TANSCHE has continued to provide mentorship to the selected students throughout their programmes. The council has also proposed that the government meet the academic expenses of students who secured admission to premier institutions through the programme.

The second batch is proposed to be conducted during the current academic year. A total of 180 students will be selected through a screening test. The intake will include 30 third-year UG students each from mathematics, physics and chemistry, and 30 second-year PG students from each of the three subjects.

Selected students will undergo a 10-day offline training programme, followed by online mentoring and continuous academic guidance to prepare for exams like GATE, CSIR-NET, JEST, CUET, TIFR GS and IIT-JAM.

The last date for registration is August 20.

The issue surfaced when Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan of the Congress began his speech after welcoming the government's resolution. Soon after he commenced his address, DMK legislator K Karthikeyan interrupted and raised objections, prompting the Speaker to issue a stern warning.

Viswanathan subsequently alleged that the DMK did not want the Congress to remain part of the TVK-led Cabinet.

"NEET is against social justice, poor students and the federal structure. Education mafias are benefiting from the examination, and the State government should not allow this cruel system to continue," Viswanathan said. He reiterated that NEET was unnecessary for Tamil Nadu and should be abolished.

Even as he was vociferously making his objection to the national-level examination, Karthikeyan again interrupted and raised his voice against the Minister. The Speaker once again warned the DMK MLA through Opposition Whip and senior DMK leader EV Velu.

Responding to Viswanathan's remarks, Velu said the NEET-related legislation was introduced during the Congress-led government at the Centre by the then Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and not by D Gandhiselvan, the DMK representative in the Union Cabinet who was the then Union Minister of State for Health.

Earlier, during the debate, Minister for Public Works Aadhav Arjuna had said that the Bill was moved by then Union Minister Gandhiselvan.

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin rejected the charge, stating that the then DMK government in Tamil Nadu, headed by late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi, had not implemented NEET in Tamil Nadu and had obtained an exemption for the State through the Union government.

Eligibility: Must be an Indian citizen. Must be currently pursuing a professional photography-related course with a minimum duration of three months

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship up to Rs 1,00,000 based on the actual course fee

Last Date to Apply: August 24

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/NIKON14

Eligibility: Students studying in Classes 9 to 12 from Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Tripura, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana are eligible to apply

Prizes & Rewards: Selected students will receive scholarship of up to Rs 12,000 (based on actual expenses) and mentorship support (session on Road Safety)

Last Date to Apply: August 20

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/MKSP3

Eligibility: Open to students across India who have secured admission to BE or B.Tech. programs at any Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) for the academic year 2026-27

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship of Rs 70,250 per year

Last Date to Apply: August 20

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/RCSP7

Eligibility: Open to students in Classes 1 to 12, diploma, ITI, polytechnic, undergraduate (general and professional), and postgraduate (general and professional) courses. Open to Indian nationals only

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarship up to Rs 75,000 based on education level.

Last Date to Apply: August 31

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/HDFC63

Eligibility: Open to Indian nationals studying in Classes 9 to 12, undergraduate, postgraduate, MBBS, IIT or IIM programmes. Overseas Studies is open only to SC/ST Indian nationals.

Prizes & Rewards: Scholarships ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,00,000 per academic year will be awarded depending on the scholarship category

Last Date to Apply: September 4

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/SBISF20

Eligibility: Open to first-year students in 3 to 5-year undergraduate or integrated master's courses in BBA, B.Com, B.Tech, BE (all streams), BSc (Engineering), BCA, B.Arch, MBBS, BDS, BPT, B.Sc. (Nursing), B.Sc. (Allied and Healthcare)

Prizes & Rewards: 100% annual course fee coverage for the entire course duration, with additional support for hostel, accommodation, and meals as per programme guidelines

Last Date to Apply: August 31

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/SAT3

Eligibility: For female students who are daughters of heavy vehicle drivers and are enrolled in general or professional undergraduate courses or diploma courses.

Prizes & Rewards: Selected students will receive scholarships up to Rs 25,000.

Last Date to Apply: September 10

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/JKTS4

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

“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.