Vizhunthamavadi, the coastal hamlet near Kilvelur in Nagapattinam, has around 1,500 residents whose main livelihood is fishing. At a recent routine meeting, the functionaries of the fishermen panchayat and the village elders raised concerns about the growing nuisance caused by drunk men, particularly the youth.

They arrived at a bold decision of total prohibition, banning their unmarried young men from consuming alcohol in the village and penalising those who broke the rule.

A banner announcing the rules of consumption was soon erected at a public place, with a tagline ‘Mathuvai Oilippom, Makkalai Kaappom’ (ban alcohol and save people). The banner also said the effort was initiated for the safety and well-being of the youth.

The restriction has been relaxed for married men, who are allowed to drink but cannot create nuisance inside or outside their homes. “In case of complaints against them, they would also be imposed a fine of Rs 5,000. At the same time, those who promptly inform the village committee about ‘illegal’ alcohol consumption and/or nuisance, would be rewarded an incentive of Rs 2,000,” the banner reads.

“Around 10 days have passed since the public announcement, and we are already experiencing peace and calm,” says Rajendran, a panchayat member.

Women claim that life at home has become peaceful, as the men now focus more on work, fearing complaints by the womenfolk.

Senior Counsels G Masilamani and Srinath Sridevan, appearing for Chief Minister Vijay, told Justice V Lakshminarayanan that they would file applications seeking rejection of the three election petitions challenging his victory in Perambur.

Accepting the submission, the judge posted the petitions for hearing on August 25.

The court also adjourned to August 25 another election petition filed by defeated DMK candidate S Inigo Irudayaraj challenging Vijay’s election from the Tiruchirappalli (East) Assembly constituency.

In the May 2026 Assembly election in Perambur, Vijay secured 1,20,365 votes against 66,650 votes polled by RD Shekar, winning by a margin of 53,715 votes. Shekar has filed an election petition challenging Vijay’s election. Voters S Dinesh and TN Lakshmi Narasimhan have also filed separate petitions challenging his election from the constituency.

In his petition against CM Vijay's election to Tiruchy East, DMK candidate Irudayaraj alleged that Vijay had suppressed material information relating to pending cases, failed to disclose election expenses and engaged children in his election campaign.

The petition seeks to declare Vijay’s election void, declare Irudayaraj the returned candidate and stay any by-election pending disposal of the election petition.

The case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the present Palani Sub-Registrar, Easwari. Police booked Justin Manikandan (44), Mani (64) of Komarapalayam in Coimbatore district and Kandasamy (87) of TKN Pudur in Palani.

The complaint alleged that the property was registered on July 7 despite the alleged non-submission of proper documents. Police have commenced an investigation.

Meanwhile, doctors at GRH on Wednesday conducted an angiography on Justin Manikandan to assess his heart condition and kept him under close observation in the ICU of the Cardiology Department.

“He is already a cardiac patient and a stent has been placed in his heart. He also suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure,” a GRH doctor said.

Based on the recommendation of doctors at the Dindigul hospital, CB-CID personnel brought him to GRH in an ambulance equipped with ICU facilities. “We are closely monitoring him. If necessary, we will place another stent in his heart,” doctors said.

Judicial Magistrate-I, Dindigul, Bhakyaraj, had visited the hospital, verified that Manikandan was undergoing treatment and formally remanded him in judicial custody till August 21. He will continue treatment at the hospital while remaining in judicial custody.

Meanwhile, the Dindigul JM-I court dismissed the regular bail petitions filed by Manikandan and document writer-cum-broker Jayaprakash.

The duo had approached the court after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed their anticipatory bail petitions on August 5, observing that granting anticipatory bail could hamper the investigation and accepting the prosecution's submissions. They filed regular bail petitions before the JM-I court on August 8, with Manikandan citing his health condition.

Petitions seeking transfer of the investigation into the alleged Palani land registration fraud to the CBI also came up for hearing on Wednesday. Counsel for the petitioners raised suspicions over the death of advocate S Anwardeen, another accused in the case, while in judicial custody, and sought transfer of the investigation to the CBI.

The Government Pleader opposed the plea, urging the court not to politicise the issue and submitting that the investigation was being conducted on the basis of documents and evidence. The court said it needed to examine the CB-CID's report in detail and adjourned the hearing to August 24.

Anwardeen (65) died hours after being brought back to Madurai Central Prison following three days of CB-CID interrogation on August 7. He was suffering from paralysis affecting the right side of his body, diabetes and high blood pressure. He developed chest pain in prison that night and died while prison officials were taking him to GRH for treatment.

Special police teams are searching for seven more students whose identities have been established, while efforts are under way to identify others involved in the attack. The arrested students were identified as B Aaramudhan (20), from Cuddalore; M Aravind (21), from Sivaganga; S Siva Rohith (20), from Tiruvarur; V Mani Balu (20), from Perambalur; and a 17-year-old boy.

The deceased, Amudhan, was a third-year engineering student at the college. The incident was reportedly linked to an earlier confrontation over an assault and mobile phone theft. A police officer dismissed reports that the murder was linked to Amudhan informing the Chettipalayam police about drug peddling on the college campus. Amudhan’s parents had also made similar allegations. “Amudhan did not lodge any complaint with the police regarding drugs. An inquiry is under way into the claims made by his family members,” the officer said.

Meanwhile, Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyannavar said a detailed inquiry would be conducted into the circumstances surrounding the student’s murder.

J Jaya, principal of Hindusthan College of Engineering and Technology, said that Amudhan and another student had earlier been suspended for assualting a cook on July 21.

“Their parents were informed about the disciplinary action and were asked to take them home as they were under suspension. However, Amudhan did not return to hometown but stayed outside the college campus,” she said.

She also ruled out any link between the disciplinary action and allegations concerning drugs. Police said the investigation was continuing.

The GO directs that the state song should be rendered first at all public, educational, and government functions, and the directive enforces standing when the anthem is being rendered while exempting the differently-abled persons.

The GO issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar on August 12 follows a unanimous resolution passed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on August 10. It applies to all educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings.

It recalled the resolution piloted by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, stating that the "Assembly proudly records that Tamil is the ancient classical language of the world and Tamil civilisation is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world."

The song taken from the play 'Manonmaniam', written in 1891 by Manonmaniam Sundaranar, has been made the first song to be sung at government functions since November 23, 1970. It has been mandated that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu will be sung before the start of the event, as it has been officially recognised as the state song since December 17, 2021.

This resolution followed the Union Home Ministry's communication dated July 9, 2026, about the singing of the state anthem.

Supporting the resolution while reiterating the DMK’s position that if delimitation was undertaken to implement women’s reservation, Udhayanidhi said it should be based on the 1971 Census. “If there is any change in Tamil Nadu’s proportion of MPs, its representation should not fall below 7.18 per cent,” he said. He also accused the TVK and its allies of changing their stand from supporting fair delimitation to opposing the exercise.

Eventually, even as all parties supported women’s reservation but differed on the means and methods to implement it, the Assembly adopted the resolution by voice vote, with the DMK, CPM, CPI, Congress, VCK and IUML supporting it, while the AIADMK, BJP, PMK, and DMDK opposed it.

Moving the resolution, Vijay said legislation providing for onethird reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies had already been enacted, but its implementation had been delayed.

“Delaying women’s reservation by linking it with the census and delimitation amounts to denying women their political rights. Women’s reservation should not be postponed or merged with the census and delimitation exercise,” he said.

Referring to the consultative meeting that he chaired on August 8, Vijay said parties had supported retaining the existing 543 seats and implementing women’s reservation in the ensuing election.

During the debate, AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP’s M Bhojarajan and A Ganeshkumar of the PMK opposed the resolution, arguing there was no urgency, as the Union government had not introduced a delimitation Bill. DMDK leader Premallatha Vijayakanth said she neither supported nor opposed delimitation, and questioned the rationale behind the Assembly adopting a resolution over a Bill that was not yet introduced. She also favoured increasing the number of LS seats by 50%.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna cited the possible impact of delimitation on Tamil Nadu’s representation as the rationale for bringing the resolution.

Following the incident, Madurai District Chief Educational Officer Dayalan visited the school and conducted an inquiry with the headmaster. A preliminary inquiry found that the attack was reportedly linked to an earlier dispute involving another student.

The parents of the student who allegedly carried out the attack met the school authorities and expressed regret over the incident. The teachers arranged counselling for the student who was attacked.

It had invited applications from eligible persons on June 14 under Section 46 (iii), with July 22 fixed as the original deadline. The deadline was later extended to August 12. Following requests from devotees, the application window was further extended.

Interested applicants can submit the prescribed forms online, in person or by post to the office of the Regional Joint Commissioner concerned.

The elephant habitats in the Western and Eastern Ghats are connected to forest landscapes in Karnataka and Kerala, forming one of the largest contiguous habitats for Asian elephants.

On World Elephant Day on Wednesday, Forest Minister RV Ranjithkumar noted how habitat fragmentation, expansion of settlements along forest boundaries, changing land-use patterns and developmental and linear infrastructure projects have increased human-elephant conflict.

The government has earmarked Rs 20 crore this year for integrated measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, focussing on reducing encounters between elephants and people, he said.

The measures are two-fold. On the one hand, the Forest Department is strengthening existing elephant-proof trenches and solar-powered fences in vulnerable areas, and will create additional barriers wherever necessary. More personnel will also be deployed to patrol vulnerable areas and safely drive elephants back into forests when they enter human habitations and agricultural fields, the minister said.

The department will also expand the use of AI-based monitoring and early warning systems to track elephant movements and alert local residents and officials.

On the other hand, measures are also being taken to improve elephant habitats through the restoration of degraded forests, increasing grass and fodder availability, augmenting water resources, controlling invasive alien species, and undertaking soil and moisture conservation works. The government was also prioritising the identification and protection of traditional elephant corridors.

The minister stressed the need to prevent elephant deaths caused by electrocution. The Forest Department, in coordination with other departments, is identifying low-hanging and sagging power lines and other electrical infrastructure. Farmers and landowners have been urged not to illegally electrify fences around agricultural fields.

He said elephants played an important role in maintaining forest ecosystems by dispersing seeds, facilitating vegetation regeneration, and influencing forest structure, making their conservation crucial for protecting forests and biodiversity.

Ranjithkumar said elephant conservation required the cooperation of local communities, farmers and youth. He urged people to immediately alert the department whenever elephants enter human habitations or agricultural fields.

ADGP Vidya Jayant Kulkarni, on compulsory wait was posted as ADGP, Economic Offences Wing (EOW).

The government also transferred M Ramamurthy, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) - Intelligence, Greater Chennai Police and posted him as Superintendent of Police (SP), Q Branch CID, replacing BK Arvind. SP Arvind who has been transferred and posted as SP, Special Branch CID replacing A Myilvaganan. Arpita Rajput serving as SP, North Zone, CB-CID has been transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Anna Nagar, replacing I Eswaran who has been transferred and posted as SP, TN Commando Force.

SR Senthil Kumar, serving as DCP, Central Crime Branch, Avadi has been transferred and posted as SP, Coastal Security Group, Nagapattinam. V Saravana Kumar, serving as SP, North Zone, Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption has been transferred and posted as SP, Anti Terrorism Squad, Chennai replacing D Ramesh Babu who has been posted as DCP (headquarters), Tirunelveli City.

Former AIADMK Minister and party whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy has moved the Madras High Court challenging the Speaker's decision to accept the resignations of S Jayakumar, P Sathyabama, Maragatham Kumaravel and Esakki Subaya.

During the hearing, Senior Advocate V Giri, appearing for party whip Agri SS Krishnamurthi, argued that the court could not accept the counter affidavit filed by the Assembly Secretary on behalf of the Speaker unless the Speaker submitted himself to the court's jurisdiction. He said the questions raised in the petitions had to be answered by the Speaker himself.

He further argued that under Article 190 (3) of the Constitution, the Speaker was required to enquire whether a member's resignation was voluntary and genuine. In the present case, there was nothing to show that such an inquiry had been conducted. He also pointed out that the members were admitted into the ruling party within a few hours of resigning, making the acceptance of their resignations questionable.

After hearing the matter, the court posted the case for further hearing on August 17, 2026.

According to the police, the arrested person is R Santhosh Kumar (41), a resident of Yagasalai Street in Kumbakonam and a Corporation Council member (Ward No 12) belonging to the DMK. After receiving information that the council member had been hoarding lethal weapons, the Kumbakonam Taluk police conducted an elaborate search operation. The police also initiated a vehicle inspection.

Subsequently, the police found that Santhosh Kumar had hoarded weapons in his house and in his vehicle. Soon, the police seized the weapons and arrested him. Later, he was lodged in Kumbakonam prison.

He said the number of Parliamentary constituencies should not be reduced and should remain in the present proportion of 7.18 per cent for Tamil Nadu, and urged the ruling benches to believe the assurances given by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Palaniswami said the AIADMK had supported only one part of the resolution — the 33 per cent reservation for women in Lok Sabha seats.

Recalling Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assurance on the delimitation issue, Palaniswami said Tamil Nadu's proportionate representation in Parliament would be safeguarded. He said this assurance was also included in the AIADMK's election manifesto.

Replying to Palaniswami, Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arunraj said the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, had assured that Hindi would not be imposed, but people knew what was happening in the country.

"In this situation, when we could not fulfil Nehru's promise, we do not know how Amit Shah's promise can be implemented," Arunraj said.

Responding to Arunraj, Palaniswami said that Amit Shah was the Union Home Minister and that his words must be trusted.

He said Tamil Nadu could produce a Prime Minister in the future and pointed out that representation from the southern States was lower than that of the northern States.

"This resolution is more important than the NEET issue, as the NEET Bill is also being brought before Parliament," Arjuna said.

Emphasising the importance of the resolution, Arjuna said that even if Tamil Nadu secures 39 Lok Sabha seats, laws enacted by the Union government would still go against the State.

Thanking DMK president MK Stalin, who was the first to raise his voice against delimitation, Arjuna said that if all parties raised their voices together, Bills such as the NEET legislation could not be passed.

Cautioning against the proposal to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats by 50 per cent, the minister said that even if the Union government implemented it, the Hindi-speaking states would dominate Parliament, which would be unjust to the southern States.

"Tamil Nadu needs only a freeze on delimitation, not fair delimitation. The 543 constituencies in India should continue. No one is seeking an increase in the number of Parliament constituencies. We should not fall into the trap of the Hindi-speaking States," Aadhav said.

Observing that the case concerned “the educational prospectus of a bright student”, Justice L Victoria Gowri directed the MCC to unlock the portal and permit the petitioner to upload the relevant documents to claim the OCI category on the website.

The Court further directed the NRI Scrutiny Committee to scrutinise the documents uploaded by the petitioner and, if they were found to be in order, directed the MCC to facilitate the further process forthwith.

Prajit, a British citizen holding a valid OCI card, had appeared for the NEET UG-2026 examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and became eligible to participate in the All India UG counselling conducted by the MCC. However, while submitting his online registration for counselling, Prajit inadvertently selected the category “Foreign National (Other than OCI)” instead of “OCI”.

It was only during document verification that the MCC raised a discrepancy, stating that the uploaded document was not valid and that the petitioner ought to have applied under the OCI category.

During the hearing, Prajit's counsel submitted that he immediately attempted to rectify the mistake through the MCC portal; however, the "Remove Discrepancy" page did not provide any option for uploading an OCI document. The mistake was purely accidental, and there was absolutely no intention to suppress any facts or derive any undue advantage, the counsel submitted.

The counsel appearing for the MCC submitted that the Committee does not change any candidate category. As candidates enter details by themself, both at the time of registration for the examination and during registration for counselling conducted by the MCC, the respondents could take positive action to change the candidate’s category only if permitted by the Court, the counsel submitted.

With the above direction, the Court allowed the writ petition with no order as to costs and closed the connected miscellaneous petition.

The TNPSC, which released the notification for the examinations on Tuesday, announced 821 vacancies. Last year, only 640 vacancies were notified.

The Group 2 and Group 2A examinations are conducted to recruit candidates for various posts, including Sub-Registrar, Deputy Commercial Tax Officer, Local Fund Auditor, Revenue Inspector, Cooperative Inspector and Assistant posts in various departments.

The vacancy figures announced over the years show a sharp decline in the number of posts in the last two recruitment cycles. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the TNPSC had announced 3,000 vacancies in 2020. The number increased to 6,500 in 2022 before declining to 2,540 in 2024. It fell sharply to 640 in 2025 and has increased only marginally this year.

Aspirants said that the latest vacancy figure was particularly disappointing as more than 2,500 Group 2 and Group 2A posts were reportedly lying vacant in various government departments. K Priya, an aspirant preparing for the exams, said, “Those of us who have been preparing for government jobs for several years are deeply disappointed by the reduction in vacancies. Many aspirants have been preparing for these exams for years to secure a government job. The low number of vacancies has killed our hopes. The government should take steps to increase the number of vacancies to more than 1,000.”

S Natraj, who runs a TNPSC coaching centre, said the reduction in vacancies had added to the frustration among aspirants, particularly after the previous Group 2 examination was cancelled. “The change in government and the expectations among young voters for a change, including hopes for more employment opportunities for youngsters, had disappointed the youth, especially with the TVK in power,” he said.

Natraj added that aspirants were prepared to stage protests if the government did not take immediate steps to increase the number of vacancies.

Aspirants have urged the government and the TNPSC to review the vacancy position in various departments and include additional posts in the current recruitment process.

Vacancies in 14 years

• 6,241 in 2011

• 3,842 in 2012

• 1,086 in 2013

• 3,215 in 2014

• 1,947 in 2015

• 1,208 in 2016

• 1,943 in 2017

• 1,348 in 2018

• 1,100 in 2019

• 3,000 in 2020

• 6,500 in 2022

• 2,540 in 2024

• 640 in 2025

• 821 in 2026

Replying to the debate on the Revised Agriculture Budget in the Assembly, Vinoth said the Chief Minister had directed administrations in all districts to closely monitor crop area. A preliminary assessment, covering areas where crop losses of 33 per cent and above were reported, showed that 23,309 hectares had been affected, he said.

Of the affected area, oilseeds accounted for the largest share at 8,700 hectares, followed by millets at 5,970 hectares and paddy at 5,463 hectares. Pulses were affected across 2,245 hectares, while sugarcane, cotton and horticultural crops were affected across 753,17 and 161 hectares respectively. "The assessment is continuing, and the government will take appropriate steps to provide relief from the State Disaster Response Fund," Vinoth told the House.

The minister said districts had received uneven rainfall following the El Niño event, affecting crops under cultivation. The government would take further action if drought conditions persisted in accordance with prescribed norms.

Minister Vinoth also referred to measures taken to safeguard farmers' livelihoods following the delayed opening of the Mettur dam. The government had allocated Rs 134.83 crore for the kuruvai package covering Delta and non-Delta districts, under which 8.41 lakh acres had so far been brought under Kuruvai paddy cultivation against the normal area of 10.60 lakh acres.

Under the crop insurance scheme, cases of prevented sowing and failed sowing had been reported in Delta districts. Farmers unable to raise crops, as well as those whose crops were damaged within 30 days of sowing, would receive an average compensation of Rs 23,465 per hectare, subject to scheme norms.

The minister said 3.98 lakh acres of paddy had been insured by 1.34 lakh farmers this season, compared with 2.77 lakh acres insured by 1.05 lakh farmers during the previous kuruvai season.

Indian Coast Guard (ICG), on November 25, 2024, apprehended a Myanmarese fishing boat 'Soe Wai Yan Htoo', carrying over 5,500 kg of methamphetamine, which is the biggest ever haul in the history of the ICG. Six Myanmarese nationals onboard the vessel were apprehended.

NIA registered a case to investigate the wider network allegedly involved in trafficking the massive consignment, and on Wednesday NIA teams conducted searches at eight locations in Tamil Nadu. Sources said that searches were also conducted in Mizoram.

In Chennai, searches were held at Washermenpet, Tirumulliavoyal and Porur. In Madurai, NIA officials searched a residence in Jai Bharat City in Avaniyapuram, Madurai.

A team led by NIA Inspector Akash searched the house of Balamurugan, a native of Perungudi, who is reportedly running a business in Manipur. The search, which lasted for more than an hour, was conducted when Balamurugan was not at home. His wife, Murugeswari, was questioned.

According to NIA officials, no documents were seized during the search.

The deceased was identified as Yasiriyan, a Class 2 student at a private school in Dharmapuri, while his father, Muniyappan (34), of Paisuhalli village near Dharmapuri, works for a firm involved in replenishing cash at ATMs.

According to the Railway Police, Muniyappan and his son had gone to the station to see off his wife, Suganya (28), and other family members, who were travelling to Kerala. They had boarded the Bengaluru–Ernakulam Express at Dharmapuri.

As the train began to move from the platform, Muniyappan attempted to alight while carrying his son. However, he lost his balance, and both fell into the gap between the train and the platform. Passengers and others at the station raised an alarm, following which the train was brought to a halt.

Railway Police recovered the boy’s body and sent it to Dharmapuri GH for a postmortem. Muniyappan was admitted to the same hospital with severe injuries and was later shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore for further treatment. The Dharmapuri Railway Police have registered a case, and investigations are on.

In a letter to Modi, Anbumani said an open-ended system could create confusion as several communities have sub-castes, denominations and locally used names that may not appear separately in official caste lists. This, he said, could result in duplication, inconsistencies and difficulties in classifying the data.

Anbumani pointed to the 2011 Socio-Economic and Caste Census, where respondents were allowed to enter their caste names freely. He said the exercise reportedly generated around 46.70 lakh caste entries, compared to 4,147 castes recorded in the 1931 caste census, making the data difficult to standardise and use for social justice policies.

He said the Centre and State governments already maintain official lists of recognised castes and communities and suggested integrating these lists into the census application. Enumerators could then select the appropriate caste from a dropdown menu, with the corresponding caste code recorded.

Anbumani cited the caste surveys conducted in Bihar in 2023 and Telangana in 2024, where structured caste lists were used, as examples of the system being feasible.

He urged the Prime Minister to direct the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to adopt the system before caste enumeration begins from September 1 in hill States and February 1 next year in other States.

Calling the issue urgent, Anbumani said accurate and standardised caste data was essential for evidence-based social justice policies.

The deceased, E Yogesh, a Class six student at the school in Kuppichipalayam, suffered an electric shock after he stepped into a pool of stagnant water, in which a snapped power cable had fallen. Police said Yogesh, barefoot, had gone to wash his lunch box in the water tank when he suffered a shock and died.

This incident triggered protests by parents and villagers. On Wednesday, the boy's family petitioned Erode Collector S Kandasamy seeking action. Meanwhile, the education department suspended Nirmala, the HM of the school, for 90 days. Further action is likely to be taken against electricity board staff for allegedly failing to rectify the damaged power cable.

Around 2.4 lakh flower saplings are being planted across the park as part of efforts to create vibrant floral displays and attract visitors during the upcoming season. Following an enthusiastic peak tourist season in May, the department has begun sprucing up horticulture parks across the district in preparation for the second season, which typically begins in September and extends into October and November.

Planting works at the popular Sims Park in Coonoor commenced a few days ago, and the department has now taken up the work at Kattery Park. This year, the department plans to introduce several new varieties of flowering plants to enhance the visual appeal.

“More than 30 varieties of flowering saplings, including dahlias, salvias, phlox, zinnias, pansies, begonias, delphiniums, geraniums, petunias, sweet williams and primulas, have been sourced from France, Africa and the Netherlands, as well as from Kolkata and Kashmir,” a horticulture department official said.

The planting work at Kattery Park is expected to be completed in a few more days. With favourable weather conditions, the plants are expected to begin flowering from next month, transforming the park with colourful blooms ahead of the arrival of the second season. In addition to planting saplings, flowering seeds will also be sown across suitable areas of the park, the official added.

According to Srirangam temple official sources, the divine gifts from Srirangam Sri Ranganathaswamy temple used to be sent every year ahead of the ‘Aadi Pooram’ festival, and the car festival would be held simultaneously.

The gifts containing ‘pattu vastram’, garlands, fruits, turmeric, kumkum, sandal and dry fruits that were scheduled to be sent to the Srivilliputhur temple were displayed at Renga Vilas Mandapam for the devotees. Later, the gifts were taken in a procession around all the veedhis in the temple premises.

The gifts from Srirangam temple would reach Srivilliputhur by Thursday afternoon, and the delegates, headed by Srirangam temple Joint Commissioner (HR and CE) Siva Ramkumar, would present them to the temple.

As per tradition, Andal in Srivilliputhur would be wearing the vasthram presented by the Srirangam temple when the goddess goes in a procession on Friday (August 14) in view of the Aadi Pooram car festival.

The order, issued by Chief Secretary M Sai Kumar, follows the unanimous resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly through a voice vote. The resolution was moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and subsequently accepted by the government.

According to the order, Tamil Thai Vazhthu must be sung before the commencement of programmes organised by all educational institutions, government departments, offices, and public sector undertakings.

The government said the move was aimed at upholding the cultural identity of Tamil Nadu and ensuring due recognition to Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official and institutional programmes.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution asserting that the State Song, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', must be sung first before the commencement of programmes conducted by all educational institutions, government offices, and public sector undertakings.

Recalling the Government Orders dated on November 23, 1970, and December 12, 2021, that mandated its rendition as invocation song at all functions organised by the government, educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings, and other public institutions in the State, the resolution said it was not merely a song but an expression of respect for the Tamil language and Tamil culture.

The resolution, which was welcomed by members cutting across party lines, said Tamil Thai Vazhthu shall be mandatorily sung first before the commencement of programmes.

Describing the move as unnecessary at this stage, he said, "Change is permanent, and we have to move according to population growth."

Referring to the Nilgiris Lok Sabha constituency, which comprises parts of four districts, Bhojarajan said that smaller boundaries would help serve people better. Hitting out at Minister Vanni Arasu, he said that attempts to view people through a north-south divide were unwarranted. He flayed the VCK member for his remarks that the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister would change their positions on the issue between what they say inside Parliament and what they say outside. "Such statements are not acceptable," he said.

Bhojarajan stressed the need for political unity, saying that a united Tamil Nadu and South India could produce a leader capable of becoming Chief Minister, in a veiled dig at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, after PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna's claim that a new Prime Minister would evolve from Tamil Nadu.

BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran took up the issue and opposed the TVK-led coalition government's resolution against delimitation, calling it detrimental to Tamil Nadu's interests and urging Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to reconsider the decision.

Nainar said delimitation was necessary to ensure equitable representation in Parliament in line with population growth and maintained that "one vote, one value" was the foundation of democracy. Redrawing constituencies, he said, was not merely a question of boundaries but a means of ensuring that every citizen's voice received equal weight in Parliament.

He said the Union government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had assured that decisions would not adversely affect any state, particularly those in the south. "Instead of blindly opposing such reforms, the Chief Minister should reconsider the government's decision, " he said in a statement.

Replying to the debate on the General Budget in the Assembly, Wilson said the TVK-led government would enhance various existing schemes and fulfil its election promises.

The Minister said the government had projected moderate growth in State Own Tax Revenue (SOTR), while alleging that the previous government's Interim Budget had projected a 19 per cent growth in SOTR, which was too high considering the prevailing business environment.

The government expects to mobilise additional revenue through various tax reform measures, including the liquor cess, and aims to generate around Rs 15,000 crore through these initiatives, he said.

Assuring that the poll promises would be fulfilled, Wilson said the government would implement all the schemes announced during the election once adequate revenue sources were generated.

Comparing the present government with the previous DMK regime, he said the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thogai scheme was implemented in 2023, around 28 months after the DMK government assumed office. "The government has commenced work to augment revenue through various committees. The government has not stopped any schemes and will continue to strengthen the existing schemes," Wilson said.

The Minister said the Finance Department had commenced a review of the tender irregularities in the previous DMK government's administration.

From the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus, Kilambakkam, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tirupur. A total of 505 buses will be operated on August 14 and 570 buses on August 15.

From the CMBT, Koyambedu, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru. 110 buses each will be operated on August 14 and 15. In addition, 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Tirupur, Erode and Coimbatore to various destinations.

From the Madhavaram Bus Terminus, special buses will be operated to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Vellore, Hosur and Puducherry. 80 special buses each will be operated August 14 and 15. To facilitate passengers returning to Chennai and Bengaluru from their hometowns, 465 special buses will also be operated from various parts of the State on August 16.

So far, 21,231 passengers have booked tickets for August 14, 4,369 passengers for August 15, and 18,437 passengers for August 16 (total advance bookings 44,037). The number is expected to increase further in the coming days. Additional officials have been deployed at major bus terminals to monitor the operation of the special services.

Passengers can book tickets via the TNSTC mobile app or on www.tnstc.in

A team led by NIA Inspector Akash searched the house of Balamurugan, a native of Perungudi in Madurai district, who is reportedly running a business in Manipur. The search, which lasted for more than an hour, was conducted when Balamurugan was not at home. The central agency officials also questioned Balamurugan's wife, Murugeswari.

According to NIA officials, no documents were seized during the search.

Besides Madurai, the NIA officials conducted searches at several locations in Chennai and Coimbatore as part of the investigation into the drug smuggling case.

Meanwhile, Dindigul Judicial Magistrate-I Bhakyaraj dismissed the regular bail petitions filed by Justin Manikandan and document writer-cum-broker Jayaprakash.

The duo had approached the Dindigul JM-I court for regular bail after the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court dismissed their anticipatory bail petitions on August 5, observing that granting anticipatory bail could hamper the investigation.

Both accused had filed their regular bail petitions on August 8. Manikandan cited his health condition while seeking bail.

The CB-CID arrested Manikandan from a house in the Kodaikanal hills on August 6. During interrogation at the CB-CID office in Dindigul, he complained of dizziness and was taken to the Dindigul Government Medical College Hospital that night. Doctors found that he had high blood pressure and advised hospitalisation. The following morning, he was shifted to the cardiology department's ICU for further treatment.

Judicial Magistrate-I Bhakyaraj later visited the hospital, verified that Manikandan was undergoing treatment and remanded him in judicial custody till August 21. He will continue to receive treatment at the hospital while remaining in judicial custody until his condition improves.

Jayaprakash, meanwhile, surrendered before the Dindigul CB-CID police on August 7 while the police were searching for him. He was subsequently remanded in judicial custody till August 21 and lodged in Madurai Central Prison.

The latest hospitalisation of Manikandan comes days after advocate S Anwardeen, 65, another accused in the case, died shortly after being brought back to Madurai Central Prison following three days of CB-CID interrogation on August 7.

Anwardeen, who was suffering from paralysis affecting the right side of his body, diabetes and high blood pressure, developed chest pain in prison and died while being taken to GRH for treatment.

He said the government would decide its future course of action based on the outcome of a Supreme Court hearing on Thursday, asserting that it would ensure that no injustice was done to the state.

The Cauvery Water Regulation Committee, which met in New Delhi on Tuesday, directed Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs of water daily to Tamil Nadu for 15 days from August 12.

The Cauvery Water Management Authority subsequently upheld the decision.

"I have held discussions with the Chief Minister (D K Shivakumar) and officials. The CM spoke to our Advocate General and advocates in Delhi. Tamil Nadu's petition is coming up before the Supreme Court tomorrow; it has been listed. We will have an opportunity there, and our advocates will file our objections. Let's see what the Supreme Court says. Thereafter, we will have further options," Reddy said.

Speaking to reporters here, the State Water Resources Minister said the government's future course of action would depend on the outcome of the Supreme Court hearing.

"Tamil Nadu has filed a petition, and we have been served a notice. We will have an opportunity to present our case there. Based on the outcome, we will decide whether further legal action is required. This is based on the suggestions given by the advocates," he added.

The Tamil Nadu government earlier this month moved the Supreme Court over the Cauvery dispute with Karnataka, contending that the quantum of water directed by the CWRC, as well as the water released by Karnataka, was insufficient.

Earlier, on July 28, the CWRC had directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.

Citing poor storage levels in its reservoirs, Karnataka had initially maintained that it was unable to release water to the neighbouring state. However, following heavy rainfall in Karnataka's Cauvery catchment areas, the state began releasing water under the earlier 3,500-cusec direction.

Noting that Karnataka had complied with the earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs a day and had, in fact, released more water to Tamil Nadu, Reddy said, "When the Kabini dam filled due to rains in the catchment area, the water flowed downstream as there was no scope to store it further. About 10 TMC of water has flown."

He said Karnataka had about 76 TMC of water in its reservoirs, of which 36 TMC would be required annually for drinking water, apart from water lost to evaporation and the requirement for rivers and crops.

"We have about 76 TMC of water (in our dams), out of which we will need 36 TMC a year for drinking water. There will also be evaporation, and we will have to release water to rivers and for crops. Asking Karnataka to release 12,000 cusecs for 15 days is inappropriate," he said.

Reddy said the earlier direction to release 3,500 cusecs a day was somewhat acceptable, but the latest order to release 12,000 cusecs daily for 15 days, amounting to about 16 TMC, was "too costly" for Karnataka.

He said the state would not have faced difficulty in releasing water if it had been asked to release a smaller quantity, considering its water availability.

"This is too high a quantity," he said.

Noting that the monsoon had not been satisfactory in Karnataka's old Mysuru region, the minister claimed that Tamil Nadu had sufficient water in its reservoirs.

He claimed that Tamil Nadu receives most of its rainfall during the northeast monsoon between October and December and has a better water table than Karnataka.

"Our water table is too low here. Even if we go 800-1,000 feet, we don't get water, while they get water at much higher levels. Despite our Additional Chief Secretary, advocates, and experts effectively putting forward our case with all these facts, the order has come. It will be difficult for us to release 16 TMC of water in 15 days. We have discussed it. We will decide what to do," he said.

"The CM has spoken to advocates in New Delhi and experts. We will ensure that no injustice happens to the state," he added.

Farmers have staged sporadic protests in Cauvery basin districts, including Mandya and Mysuru, against the water release order.

Some pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh on Thursday to protest the directive, while others have opposed the bandh call.

Major holy sites like Rameswaram and Kanyakumari, besides Chennai coastal areas and the Cauvery and Thamirabarani river banks saw huge crowds performing the rituals.

Astrologers clarified that a solar eclipse occurred on Wednesday at late night Indian Standard Time (IST) and was not visible in India especially in Tamil Nadu, posing no ritual restrictions for locals.

Tourism department sources said that at the "Agni Theertham" beach in Rameswaram, thousands of pilgrims from various districts and neighboring Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka arrived at dawn.

Devotees offered sesame and rice balls (pinda tharpanam) to their ancestors before taking a holy dip at "Agni Theertham" sea and bathing in the 22 sacred "Theerthams" within the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple.

Over 500 police personnel were deployed to manage the crowds, while coastal security police conducted intensive patrols offshore to prevent accidents.

At "Triveni Sangamam" in Kanyakumari, the confluence of the three seas, devotees including those from Kerala gathered as early as 4 am. Large crowds continued to visit the beach well past mid-morning, with police making arrangements to ensure smooth movement.

In Tirunelveli district, thousands assembled along the banks of the Thamirabarani river from dawn and locations including the Kurukkuthurai Subramaniya Swamy Temple steps, Esakki Amman Temple steps, and the holy ghats in front of the Papanasanathar Temple in Papanasam in the district saw heavy footfall over the ancestral rituals.

To ensure orderly observances, police implemented one-way traffic systems and local civic bodies and volunteers were also deployed to collect plastic bags from devotees, replacing them with eco-friendly paper bags.

In Chennai, large crowds converged along the Marina Beach, as well as the Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple tank, starting from the early hours of the morning.

According to customs, the Ammavasai (new moon) days falling in the Tamil month Aadi, Thai, and Purattasi are considered sacred for ancestral rituals. As per the Tamil calendar, Aadi is currently on.

The Additional Chief Secretary/Commissioner of Revenue Administration (CRA), Chennai, issued the suspension order on August 10 through email communication to the Madurai revenue administration. The order was served on Anbalagan through prison officials at Madurai Central Jail on Tuesday, an official source said.

Since prison authorities had taken Anbalagan to Rajaji Government Hospital for a medical examination on Tuesday morning, the suspension notice was served on him in the evening. The same was communicated to the CRA through email, the source added.

Alleged illegal patta transfer

According to the police, Anbalagan, while serving as the Madurai North Tehsildar, allegedly removed the temple's ownership details from the revenue records and transferred the patta in favour of Ramaayi Ayyar and eight others on June 24, 2016.

He was arrested on August 4 following an FIR registered by the Madurai City Central Crime Branch (CCB) on July 25, based on a complaint lodged by Chellathurai, Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The complaint alleged that 19 persons had conspired to illegally transfer the trust property through fraudulent patta mutation, document registration and mortgage.

Trust property restored to temple

According to the police, a will registered in 1930 at the Saidapet Sub-Registrar's Office states that the Ashoka Vilas Bungalow and its adjoining garden on Alagarkoil Road in Madurai belong to a trust established to render services to the temples. As per the conditions of the will, the property could only be leased out and could not be sold, mortgaged or transferred.

Following the alleged illegal patta transfer in 2016, the temple administration immediately approached the district administration. Former Village Administrative Officer Arasan was placed under suspension, while departmental action and an inquiry by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption were recommended against Anbalagan.

Subsequently, the Revenue Divisional Officer cancelled the Tehsildar's order, ruled that the property belonged to the trust attached to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and Alagarkoil, and directed that the patta be restored in the temple's name.

The CCB has arrested four people in connection with the case over the past 10 days.

Seeman said the minister had struggled to pronounce Tamil words clearly while reading the Budget and had also made errors while reading out figures. He said that when MLA Rajendran pointed out the mistakes during the discussion on the demands for grants and urged the minister to correct them, Wilson's response and body language reflected “arrogance”.

Seeman said accepting a mistake and taking steps to correct it was a sign of political maturity. He criticised the minister for refusing to correct himself and instead responding with what he described as the “arrogance of power”.

Questioning Wilson's remarks that he was born a Christian and that his faith had taught him love, which indirectly portrayed Tamil in a bad light, Seeman said the minister had every right to speak about his religious beliefs but had no right to speak in a manner that wrongly conveyed that Tamil did not teach love.

Seeman also pointed to the contributions of Christian missionaries and Tamil scholars such as GU Pope and Veeramamunivar to Tamil language and literature. He said their contributions demonstrated that Christianity and Tamil were not contradictory and that several Christian scholars had devoted themselves to the Tamil language.

Seeman accused the Minister of unnecessarily bringing religion into the issue and said a person's mother tongue and linguistic identity should not be confused with their religion.

“The Tamil language is the mother of boundless love and the very embodiment of compassion. Portraying Tamil as a language that does not teach love is an insult to Tamil and the Tamil national identity,” Seeman said.

Speaking during the discussion on the resolution in the Assembly, Palaniswami said there was nothing wrong with delimitation for administrative convenience, but maintained that Tamil Nadu's representation should not decrease because the State had successfully controlled its population growth. He added that the AIADMK supported only the resolution concerning women's reservation, said a Daily Thanthi report.

EPS opposes delimitation resolution

Palaniswami said the AIADMK had urged the Union government to ensure that Tamil Nadu's existing representation ratio was not affected by the delimitation exercise. He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured the party that the number of representatives from Tamil Nadu would not decrease.

He added that protecting the existing representation ratio could instead pave the way for an increase in the number of MPs from the State. According to Palaniswami, delimitation could potentially increase Tamil Nadu's Lok Sabha representation from 39 to 59 seats.

If the exercise is carried out without causing any disadvantage to Tamil Nadu, there was nothing wrong with redrawing Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies with large voter populations for administrative convenience, Palaniswami said.

He alleged that the TVK-led government had introduced the special resolution against delimitation for political reasons and to create a sensation. He said the AIADMK opposed the resolution, as the actual impact of the proposed delimitation exercise was not yet known. "We support only the resolution concerning women's reservation," Palaniswami said.

BJP questions urgency behind resolution

Meanwhile, BJP MLA M Bhojarajan questioned the urgency behind bringing the special resolution against delimitation while the proposed Bill was still under consideration. Speaking during the debate in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Bhojarajan said changes should be made based on the needs of the people and that society must be prepared to accept change.

He said the new Parliament building had been constructed keeping future generations in mind and argued that the country must move forward while ensuring that Tamil Nadu was not adversely affected by the delimitation exercise. Bhojarajan said constituency delimitation was currently under consideration and was being proposed with the future generation in mind. He also said the BJP was a party that prioritised women.

However, he made it clear that the BJP opposed the special resolution moved by Chief Minister Vijay against constituency delimitation.

The remarks came as the Assembly continued its debate on the special resolution, with members from different political parties expressing their views on the proposed delimitation exercise and its possible impact on Tamil Nadu.

In a representation submitted on Wednesday, CPM’s Thiruvottiyur North area committee secretary S Kathirvelu said excessive ammonia gas had leaked from the plant around 11.30 pm on December 26, 2023, affecting residents of 18 villages, including Periya Kuppam, Chinna Kuppam and Thazhankuppam. Several residents suffered breathing difficulties and dizziness, while more than 60 people were admitted to hospitals for treatment. Fish were also found dead in the sea, he said.

He said residents had been facing pollution-related problems allegedly caused by the plant for several years and had repeatedly staged protests whenever ammonia emissions occurred. Following the December 2023 incident, residents continued their protest outside the plant for nearly three months.

The representation said residents and volunteer groups had also approached the National Green Tribunal, which subsequently permitted the plant to operate subject to certain restrictions on handling ammonia. The case is still pending.

The CPM said criminal cases registered against its functionaries and office-bearers of residents' welfare associations who participated in the protests were causing difficulties in obtaining passports and employment. It also expressed concern that the pending cases could be used for arrest.

According to the representation, CPM Thiruvottiyur North area committee member Parthasarathi was named as the first accused along with 28 others in cases registered by M5 Ennore police under Crime Nos. 1030/23, 1031/23 and 1033/23 on December 27 and 28, 2023.

The CPM urged the chief minister to intervene and facilitate withdrawal of the cases registered in connection with the protests conducted in the interest of public safety.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana had earlier said the Tamil Nadu government's plea will be taken up for hearing on Thursday, August 13.

On Wednesday, senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for some farmers, mentioned a separate plea for urgent listing.

“This was to come up tomorrow before Justice Vikram Nath (led bench). But he is not well,” the CJI said.

Earlier, the Tamil Nadu government had said the state was not getting its due share of Cauvery water in a rain deficient year.

The Joseph Vijay led-state government on August 3 approached the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Karnataka government for immediate release of the water.

The state government, in its plea, claimed that the quantum allocated to it by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) as well as that released by its neighbour Karnataka was far less.

A CWRC meeting held on July 28 directed Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs for 15 days starting July 29. However, the quantum of water released at Biligundlu ranged between 158 and 550 cusecs from July 29 to August 2, the state government said.

A press release issued by the Tamil Nadu government said that as of August 3, the combined total storage in the reservoirs in Karnataka -- KRS, Kabini, Harangi and Hemavathy -- stood at 77.537 TMC and Karnataka would face no difficulty in releasing Tamil Nadu's due share proportionately.

Following rains in the catchment areas in the KRS and Kabini dams in Karnataka recently, the proportionate water to be realised at Biligundlu should be 26.954 TMC, it said.

"Accordingly, the Cauvery Water Management Authority order allocating 4.536 TMC is very less," the release added. Karnataka has "failed" to share with Tamil Nadu its due share of water and the quantum was 26.954 TMC, the press release said.

The festival will feature more than 30 professional kite fliers from countries including Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and India.

Giant kites take centre stage

More than 200 giant kites will be flown during the festival, including spectacular show kites and creative designs. Visitors can also witness award-winning kites flown by Tamil Nadu’s professional kite-flying team, Skyuters.

The festival will be held from 2 pm until sunset. LED kite shows will be organised after sunset, subject to favourable weather conditions.

The event will also feature traditional cultural performances, including Poikkal Kuthirai and Thanjavur dancing dolls.

A special attraction will be an F1 static model by Red Bull, which will be displayed exclusively on August 16.

A photo contest will also be held as part of the festival.

The event is expected to attract tourists and families to Mamallapuram and further promote the coastal town as a major tourism destination.

Venue: TTDC Ocean View, ECR, Mamallapuram

Dates: August 14–16, 2026

Timings: 2 pm to sunset; LED kite show after sunset

The resolution, moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, was adopted by voice vote after a debate in which the DMK supported the government, while the AIADMK, BJP, PMK and DMDK opposed the resolution on different grounds.

The Chief Minister said that although legislation providing for one-third reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies had already been enacted, its implementation had been delayed.

"Delaying women's reservation by linking it with the census and delimitation amounts to denying women their political rights. Women's reservation should not be postponed or merged with the census and delimitation exercise," Vijay said.

Referring to the consultative meeting held by the State government on August 8, he said the participating parties had supported retaining the existing 543 Lok Sabha seats and implementing women's reservation in the ensuing election.

During the debate, AIADMK floor leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, BJP MLA M Bhojarajan and PMK MLA A Ganeshkumar opposed the resolution, arguing that there was no urgency since the Union government had not introduced a delimitation Bill. However, they supported the implementation of 33 percent reservation for women.

DMDK member Premalatha Vijayakanth took a different position, saying she neither supported nor opposed delimitation. She questioned the rationale behind the State Assembly adopting a resolution when the Union government had not introduced a delimitation Bill. She also favoured increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats by 50 percent and supported women's reservation.

Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi supported the resolution with a condition, saying that if delimitation was undertaken for implementing women's reservation, it should be based on the 1971 Census.

"If there is any change in Tamil Nadu's proportion of MPs, its representation should not fall below 7.18 percent," he said.

Public Works Minister Aadhav Arjuna explained the government's rationale for bringing the resolution and highlighted the possible impact of delimitation on Tamil Nadu's representation. Following the DMK's support, the resolution was adopted by voice vote.

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 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