Stalin had approached the court seeking directions to the Election Commission of India to conduct 100 per cent counting of VVPAT slips and verify all 286 EVMs used in the constituency.

Of the 14 EVMs taken up for verification, two stopped working immediately, which, he argued, required technical diagnosis.

He also pointed out lapses in the chain of custody of another EVM. Despite these lapses, the District Election Officer declared that the verification process had been completed successfully and in accordance with the prescribed procedure.

The division bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan observed that Stalin’s plea went beyond seeking verification and directly challenged the victory of the returned candidate.

The court said his prayer to declare Babu’s election void and himself the duly elected candidate from Kolathur amounted to a challenge to the election itself and was barred under Article 329(b) of the Constitution.

The court agreed with the Election Commission of India (ECI) that entertaining such petitions would open a “Pandora’s box”. It held that allowing writ petitions based on such anomalies to unseat elected candidates would render the statutory election petition process meaningless and defeat the purpose of Article 329(b).

The court said that if every such anomaly were made a basis to unseat the returned candidate and declare the second- or third-placed candidate elected, the statutory scheme of election petitions would become wholly illusory.

Every defeated candidate would have an alternative to an election petition, and the finality of elections sought to be secured under Article 329(b) would be lost.

Stalin’s prayer to declare Babu’s election void and himself the duly elected candidate from Kolathur amounted to a challenge to the election itself and was barred under Article 329(b) of the Constitution, the court said

The court noted Stalin’s submission that the verification process was conducted after the 45-day period for filing an election petition had expired.

However, it held that this could not enlarge the court’s jurisdiction under Article 226 when Article 329(b) expressly barred such a challenge.

The court said the extent of the delay, its impact on limitation and any remedy available to Stalin were matters to be considered by the Election Tribunal through an election petition.

The court said that even if there was a genuine difficulty, it could only be raised before the tribunal.

Though it dismissed the plea as not maintainable, the court left it open to Stalin to approach the court through an election petition.

Vijay said Tamil was already being used as a language of proceedings in district courts and argued that extending its use to the Madras High Court would make legal proceedings more accessible to people. He stressed that the demand was not against any other language, but aimed at securing legal recognition for Tamil in the higher judiciary.

Tamil language in Madras High Court

The Chief Minister said arguments and proceedings would be easier for people to understand when presented in Tamil. He also pointed out that Tamil had already been declared the official language of Tamil Nadu and said there were legal provisions allowing the state language to be used in courts.

Vijay urged the President and the Central Government to grant the necessary approval for Tamil to be recognised for use in the Madras High Court. He said immediate steps should be taken on proposals related to the use of Tamil in the higher judiciary.

Tamil Nadu Assembly special resolution

The Assembly proceedings began with the Question Hour on Thursday. Vijay subsequently made three announcements under Rule 110 before moving the special resolution seeking recognition for Tamil as the primary language of the Madras High Court.

Speaking on the resolution, Vijay said it was a matter of pride that Tamil was the mother tongue of the people and stressed the importance of preserving the richness of the language and passing it on to future generations. He said Tamil had remained a vibrant and spoken language for thousands of years and described recognising it as the primary language of the Madras High Court as an imperative of the times. A debate among Assembly members is under way on the resolution, with members discussing the proposal seeking approval for the use of Tamil in the Madras High Court

Food and Civil Supplies Minister P Venkataramanan and Cooperation Minister V Gandhiraj inaugurated the initiative at a fair price shop in Alwarpet.

The market intervention has been undertaken following Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s directions to check the rising price of onions, an essential commodity, and ease the burden on poor and middle-class families.

The government has procured 1,000 metric tonnes of onions from Nashik in Maharashtra through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF). Each family cardholder can purchase up to one kg at Rs 35 a kg.

The sale has initially been taken up through 8,914 outlets, including urban fair price shops, consumer cooperative outlets, primary cooperative stores, retail outlets of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and Farm Fresh shops.

Venkataramanan told reporters that the sale would be expanded to all ration shops and Farm Fresh shops across the State within a couple of days and would help stabilise prices.

“If the market price remains high, we will continue distributing onions through ration shops and Farm Fresh shops,” he said.

The government said the intervention would ensure the availability of quality onions at affordable prices and help contain the impact of the price rise on consumers.

The Olympic City will feature world-class sports arenas, advanced sports equipment and a High Performance Training Centre. It will also have facilities for sports medicine and sports development, besides accommodation for athletes and coaches, the announcement said.

The initiative is aimed at creating an integrated sports ecosystem to provide athletes with advanced training and support facilities. It is expected to help Tamil Nadu sportspersons win more medals at the Olympic Games and other international sporting events.

The government said the project would also help nurture talented athletes capable of winning Olympic medals and further strengthen Tamil Nadu's position in the international sporting arena.

In addition, the government has announced initiatives to develop motor-sport talent in Tamil Nadu. Youngsters with potential in motor sports will be identified and provided with training and opportunities to participate in competitions, with the aim of producing athletes capable of competing at the national and international levels.

A new Motor Sports City will also be established in Tamil Nadu. The city will include an international-standard motor-sports racing facility, along with modern infrastructure and training facilities. Infrastructure will be developed to host international-standard competitions such as Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula 4.

These initiatives are intended to expand Tamil Nadu's sporting ecosystem beyond conventional disciplines, provide talented young athletes with world-class training opportunities, and strengthen the state's presence in international motor sports.

(With Online Desk inputs)

In a statement, the Tamil Nadu Government Ration Shop Employees' Association general secretary, P Dinesh Kumar, said the protest aimed to draw the government's attention to the difficulties workers face in implementing the scheme and urged immediate corrective measures.

Among the association's key demands are the introduction of direct scanning via PoS machines instead of the Bluetooth system, and the full implementation of the facility, allowing beneficiaries to receive commodities through authorised representatives.

The association also sought a temporary freeze for cards that have not completed e-KYC, with automatic release upon biometric authentication. Special exemptions should be provided to women, pregnant employees, persons with disabilities and elderly workers, it said.

It requested permission to distribute three months' worth of commodities in a single instalment and to conduct the door delivery after the 15th of every month. It also sought packet-based distribution of rice and other commodities, as well as uniform working hours across the State.

The workers demanded immediate release of pending subsidies to cooperative societies, nearly a year after the Thayumanavar scheme's launch, and sought the filling of vacant salesperson posts or payment of incentives until the vacancies are filled.

The association also urged the government to identify genuine beneficiaries rather than focus on percentage-based targets and remove ineligible names, including deceased persons and those undergoing treatment outside the State.

"Ration shop workers are the ones who can make the scheme a complete success by resolving problems on the ground," added the association.

The students were served eggs along with the regular noon meal. Soon after eating, several students complained of stomach pain and subsequently developed vomiting and dizziness.

As their condition caused concern among the school authorities, the affected students were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Ooty for treatment. On learning that their children had fallen ill, anxious parents rushed to the hospital.

Officials from the Education and Health Departments said all 19 students were in a stable condition and were being kept under observation. Preliminary indications suggested that the illness may have occurred after the students consumed the eggs served with the meal, though the exact cause was yet to be established. An inquiry is under way.

“Court expects a report from the Government as to whether any study has been conducted before taking this policy decision, viz., as to how the Government is going to meet out the vacancies arising out of these maternity leaves,” Justice B Pugalendhi observed while hearing a petition filed by a secondary grade school teacher challenging the denial of her request for maternity leave.

The Court stated that, in the cadre of Personal Assistants to the Judges in this Bench alone, nearly 10 per cent of the sanctioned/working strength was on maternity leave as on date. It wanted to know the percentage of employees on maternity leave in each department.

“Already, there are regular vacancies in every department. The departments are functioning with less force. The efficiency of the departments depends upon the available workforce,” the Court observed.

Hence, the Court sought a report from the Government on the steps taken and the study conducted to meet the exigencies arising from vacancies caused by maternity leave.

The Court had earlier granted an interim order in favour of the petitioner, Suganthi Stella Mary, a Secondary Grade Teacher in Dindigul district, who challenged the Block Educational Officer’s order dated March 5, 2026, denying her maternity leave request. The interim order has now been extended until September 18.

The Court posted the matter for orders on September 18 and directed the Government to file the reports.

In a statement, Tagore said the incident involving students from the Narikuravar community in Rangamma Chathiram, who were allegedly pushed from a government bus and injured, had shocked people across the State. He condemned the alleged discrimination and negligence faced by the girl students while travelling to educational institutions.

Congress team visits affected students

Following the incident, Pudukkottai district Congress president Bennett visited the area on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and met the injured students, their families and local residents to assess the situation, he said.

Tagore alleged that marginalised communities, including tribal people and Scheduled Castes, continue to face social and psychological discrimination, said a Daily Thanthi report.

He also accused the RSS ideology of promoting such discriminatory attitudes and called for efforts to counter caste-based prejudice and protect social justice and equality.

Calls for additional buses, dedicated transport

The students reportedly depend on bus services to travel the four to five kilometres between Rangamma Chathiram and Pudukkottai for school and college. Tagore said there were allegations that government buses did not regularly stop at the designated bus stop.

He alleged that students attempting to board buses had been humiliated and that incidents such as knocking away their hands from the grab rail and operating automatic doors while they were boarding had put them at risk.

Tagore further alleged that a special vehicle facility arranged earlier by the district administration had been discontinued due to a dispute between the School Education and Revenue departments over which department should bear the expenses.

“The lack of coordination between government departments has contributed to the situation in which 10 students are now undergoing treatment for injuries,” he said.

Demands action under SC/ST Act

He held the district Collector responsible for the alleged administrative lapses and urged the authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the issue. He called for additional buses to be operated on the Rangamma Chathiram route during school and college hours or for the dedicated transport facility for students to be restored without delay.

Tagore also demanded an impartial investigation against those responsible under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, along with quality medical treatment and compensation for the injured students.

While acknowledging the Tamil Nadu government's welfare measures for marginalised communities, Tagore urged the administration to strengthen monitoring and preventive measures to ensure that such incidents of discrimination and administrative negligence do not recur.

The deceased were identified as Pon Baladurai, 52, from Singampunari in Tirupattur district, and Thirunavukkarasu, 32, from Manali in Tiruvallur district.

The omni bus was travelling from Chennai to Madurai when it collided with a lorry travelling from Tindivanam to Pudukkottai.

The accident occurred near the Electricity Board office at the four-way flyover, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

Six people, including the bus driver and a woman passenger, were injured in the accident. They were rescued and admitted to Perambalur Government Hospital for treatment.

Police have registered a case and are investigating the accident.

Intervening during a debate, the Chief Minister requested Speaker J C D Prabhakar to elicit a firm promise from the DMK members that they would remain in their seats throughout his address.

Assuring a comprehensive response, Vijay said he would provide a clear and point-by-point explanation to every question raised by the Opposition during the ongoing session.

The exchange came amid a heated debate on state administration's handling of law and order, where the Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin sought to corner the ruling TVK government.

Leading the charge, Udhayanidhi Stalin questioned the TVK's frequent critiques of the previous DMK administration's handling of drug proliferation.

Pointing to current administrative decisions, the DMK leader argued that if the previous regime's drug control efforts had truly been ineffective, the present government would not have promoted two senior police officers who headed those very departments during the DMK’s tenure. He specifically named the two IPS officials.

He alleged that there was a rise in POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) cases in the state, and also an increase in crimes, and highlighted that his government established special committees and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to support victims and ensured swift justice.

Regarding drug enforcement, he questioned why certain police officers who served during the previous DMK rule were promoted to high-ranking positions by the current TVK government if their previous efforts were allegedly insufficient.

Immediately, the Chief Minister got up from his seat and remarked "Honourable Speaker, for all the questions raised by the honourable members, I will provide a clear explanation when I come on Monday. Even if I am not here, I will receive information about who is asking what questions. I will provide a clear answer to everything. I have one request through you - no one should get up and run away."

• 29,108 personnel to be inducted in Tamil Nadu Police in a phased manner in the next five years.

• Women representation in police force to be increased to 30% from the existing 22%

• Drug Free Tamil Nadu: Every year, 50 Village panchayats in the state that successfully curb drug abuse to get Rs 10 lakh cash reward.

• Rs 212 crore for Police modernisation

• Rs 1 crore solarium for family of police personnel who for valorous death while on duty

• Ex-Gratia payment for family of police personnel who die on duty increased to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 20 lakh

• Rs 14 crore for new DNA Testing facility at Salem and Villupuram

• Rs 2.5 crore for Automated Ballistic Identification System

• 50 Scuba suits worth Rs 1 crore for TNFRS rescue swimmers; Two Scuba diving teams to be formed

• 25 Surveillance drones worth Rs 2 crore for TNFRS

• 10 Payload drones worth Rs 1.2 crore for TNFRS

• Fireman name changed to "Firefighter"

• Women Firefighters to be inducted into TNFRS

His remarks came amid growing assertions by TVK legislators that Joseph Vijay should be projected for the Prime Minister’s post, while Congress has maintained that Rahul Gandhi would be its choice for the 2029 elections.

“Only our MLAs are expressing their wish and willingness. Anyone can express their wishes. There is time. In the future, the government led by CM C Joseph Vijay will decide and take the right decision as we approach 2029,” Venkataramanan told reporters here.

He stressed that neither the TVK leadership nor its Ministers had endorsed Joseph Vijay as a Prime Ministerial candidate.

“None of the TVK top brass or leaders has said anything like that. Portraying Vijay as the PM candidate is the individual view of our MLAs. It is not the official stand of our party. None of our Ministers has said so,” he said.

The Minister said the legislators were projecting CM Vijay with the objective of extending transparent and corruption-free governance across the country.

“Our MLAs want this transparent, corruption-free governance to be expanded across the nation and that is why they are projecting CM Vijay as PM,” he said.

Venkataramanan said his immediate priority was to make Tamil Nadu transparent and corruption-free. If necessary, he added, he would seek the guidance of Vijay and TVK general secretary N Anand before considering extending the model to other States.

Talking to reporters at the Secretariat, Ramesh said the government would follow the directions issued in connection with the consecration of the Madurai temple and related administrative issues.

The comments came a day after the Madurai Bench of the High Court took exception to the omission of the trustees’ names from the invitation and directed that their names be included in the inscription to be installed after the ceremony.

“Temples are not places for doing politics,” Ramesh said, echoing the observation by the High Court.

'No mobile bans during festivals'

On restrictions on mobile phones, he said the ban was extended across temples in Tamil Nadu following a case concerning the Tiruchendur temple in December 2022.

He clarified that mobile phones could be permitted inside temples on festivals and other special occasions and said there was no need to introduce a system to collect and deposit devotees’ phones on such days.

Defending the Rs 5 fee collected from devotees, Ramesh said it was not a new practice and was followed in several states, including Kerala and BJP-ruled States.

The amount would be used for temple employees’ salaries and facilities such as providing food to poor devotees, he said.

Rejecting criticism of the fee, he said those making such allegations were among those who wanted the HR&CE Department itself abolished.

The announcement was made under Rule 110 in the Assembly. According to the announcement, the new complex will come up in Chennai over an area of 20 lakh sq ft at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore.

The complex will be developed with modern infrastructure, including fire-safety facilities, provisions for the easy movement of persons with disabilities and facilities conforming to green building standards.

Adequate parking facilities, conference halls, public service centres and modern amenities for government officials will also be provided in the new complex.

The government said all departments will be brought together in a single administrative campus, enabling better coordination and integrated functioning of the government.

In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran said the theft of the precious idol, along with silver articles, had shocked devotees. He alleged that the repeated theft of idols from Hindu temples exposed the failure of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and the police to ensure their security.

He accused the government headed by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay of failing to provide adequate security and modern surveillance systems at temples. Questioning its politics, Nainar asked whether it meant remaining a mute spectator when the worship rights of Hindus were affected.

The former minister also alleged that the government was giving undue importance to Christianity, citing the Speaker’s reading of Bible verses in the Assembly and the Finance Minister wearing a rosary in the House.

He questioned why Hindu temples were not being adequately protected.

The BJP leader demanded that a special team be constituted to trace the stolen idol and bring the culprits to justice. He also urged the government to strengthen security at temples and improve law and order.

“If the government fails to act, the Tamil Nadu BJP will mobilise devotees and hold a major protest,” Nainar Nagenthran warned.

In a statement, association general secretary P Dinesh Kumar said the protest was aimed at drawing the government’s attention to difficulties faced by workers in implementing the scheme and urged immediate corrective measures.

Among the association’s key demands are the introduction of direct scanning through POS machines instead of the Bluetooth system and full implementation of the facility allowing beneficiaries to receive commodities through authorised representatives.

The association also sought a temporary freeze for cards that have not completed e-KYC, with automatic release upon biometric authentication. Special exemptions should be provided to women, pregnant employees, persons with disabilities and elderly workers, it said.

It demanded permission to distribute three months’ commodities in a single instalment and conduct distribution after the 15th of every month. It also sought packet-based distribution of rice and other commodities and uniform working hours across the State.

The workers demanded immediate release of pending subsidies to cooperative societies, nearly a year after the scheme’s launch, and sought the filling of vacant salesperson posts or payment of incentives until the vacancies are filled.

The association also urged the government to identify genuine beneficiaries rather than focus on percentage-based targets and remove ineligible names, including deceased persons and those undergoing treatment outside the State.

“Ration shop workers are the ones who can make the scheme a complete success by resolving problems on the ground,” added the association.

The heart was donated by a 23-year-old youth who was declared brain dead.

The heart began its journey from Madurai at 10.28 am and reached the Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College Hospital at 12.22 pm. Following the instructions of Central Zone IG V Balakrishnan, IPS, the Tiruchy police created a Green Corridor along the Madurai-Tiruchy-Perambalur route to ensure transport was carried out without interruptions.

The heart was successfully transported to the hospital within the required time and was successfully transplanted into the recipient. Doctors said the recipient is currently in stable condition.

The hospital authorities and the recipient’s family expressed their gratitude to the Tiruchy police personnel for their coordination and dedicated efforts in ensuring the safe and speedy transportation.

Earlier, in a similar incident in August, the Vande Bharat Express once again played a pivotal role in giving a new lease of life to a patient in need by making a stoppage at the Ankleshwar Railway Station for the very first time to rapidly transport a donor heart to Ahmedabad.

His appointment to the nodal agency for promoting startups and innovation comes shortly after his move to the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).

Ramachandran, an IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, is the son of former AIADMK MLA from Singanallur, Singai Govindarajan. He had served as secretary of the AIADMK’s IT wing before subsequently being appointed as secretary of the student wing.

Ramachandran joined the TVK on August 11.

To meet the drinking water requirements of Chennai, particularly North Chennai, Avadi, Ponneri and Minjur, a new desalination plant with a capacity of 400 million litres per day will be set up at a cost of Rs 4,800 crore.

"To ensure round-the-clock drinking water supply in Avadi Corporation, a new scheme will be implemented at a cost of Rs 500 crore. The existing drinking water facilities will be upgraded in Madurai, Cuddalore, nine municipalities and 20 town panchayats at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore," the chief minister said.

He said 33 combined water supply schemes would be renovated in the first phase at a cost of Rs 300 crore. A special scheme would also be implemented at a cost of Rs 410 crore to increase the capacity of the sewage treatment plant at Kilpauk.

The chief minister said the sewage system in Madurai, one of the oldest in the city, would be renovated in the first phase at a cost of Rs 2,400 crore.

"The new sewage schemes will be implemented in Nagercoil, Kundrathur and Guduvanchery at a cost of Rs 960 crore. Drinking water and sewage systems will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 236 crore in Perambur, Kolathur, Villivakkam and Egmore in Chennai," he said.

He announced that waste-to-energy projects would be implemented at a cost of Rs 547 crore in Tirunelveli and Salem corporations.

"The roads in Chennai and other urban local bodies that were damaged during the implementation of drinking water and sewage projects will be re-laid at a cost of Rs 1,850 crore. To ensure the safety of schoolchildren and the public, 105 road junctions in Chennai will be improved at a cost of Rs 110 crore," the chief minister announced.

He further announced that roads, sewage systems, streetlights and solid waste management facilities would be improved in several areas under the Chennai corporation at a cost of Rs 100 crore.

He also said mega parks would be established in Tiruchirappalli, Tiruppur and Pudukkottai at a cost of Rs 130 crore, while 250 new parks would be set up across the State at a cost of Rs 250 crore.

"To facilitate the Thillai Natarajar Temple car festival, basic facilities, including water supply, sewage systems and electricity, will be created along the four car streets of the temple at a cost of Rs 36 crore. A heritage walk will be established between Fort St David and Silver Beach at Cuddalore at a cost of Rs 8 crore," he said.

Chief Minister Joseph Vijay announced the withdrawal of cases filed against the farmers and teachers during the period between May 2021 and April 2026 under Rule 110 and said that the farmers and teachers were fighting for their rights in a peaceful way for their livelihood and ensuring the government did not transfer the agricultural lands to industries. And thus they were opposing the proposed SIPCOT industries at Thiruvannamalai and the Parandur airport project, and several farmers were detained under the Goondas Act, which caused a flutter among the community.

“The withdrawal of cases against the farmers and teachers who fought peacefully has instilled hope among the farming community in democracy, and this would also strengthen the faith in the government,” said A Sakthivel, Secretary, Tamil Nadu Farmers Protection Association.

Sakthivel also urged the state government to form a committee to scrutinise the cases filed against the farmers in every district on various occasions and find out eligible cases to be withdrawn as per the Chief Minister’s announcement. 

“The government should immediately initiate steps so that the farmers would have trust in the government”, Sakthivel said and added that the farmers were fighting for the common cause and for their rights.

On August 22, around 5 pm, the victim, Lebanon Rachael Devaselvi (51) was returning home after census work when Karthick intercepted her near the Vandalur Railway Bridge, snatched the 7-sovereign chain, and fled the scene through the railway track.

Tambaram City Police formed special teams to apprehend him and recover the stolen property. “During the course of investigation, the Special Team traced his movements through CCTV footage, public transportation records, and other technical evidence,” an official release said. 

Police traced him from Mudichur, boarding a bus in which he purchased a ticket through UPI to his stay at the Tambaram railway station for over an hour and then his travel to the Vandalur railway station, where he targeted the victim. After committing the offence, Karthick left the area and later proceeded to Virudhunagar, police said. 

“The Special Team corroborated his movements from 1 pm to 7 pm. Nearly 40 CCTV cameras installed in buses, railway stations, and other locations were monitored and analysed,” the release stated. 

After sustained investigations, police arrested Karthick, and recovered the stolen property from him. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded to judicial custody. 

The temple, popularly known among devotees as Nadu Palani, is known for its presiding deity, a rare, nearly two-and-a-half-foot-tall idol made entirely of emerald. The green-coloured idol is considered the temple's main attraction and draws large crowds during festivals, including Panguni Uthiram, Sashti and Thaipusam.

Considering the idol's high value, temple authorities had installed three heavy security doors to the sanctum sanctorum. An alarm system and CCTV cameras had also been installed as additional security measures.

According to the Sithamur police, burglars entered the sanctum sanctorum in the early hours of Wednesday by breaking through all the three security doors. They also disconnected the alarm system before taking the emerald idol. The police suspect that the burglars used spray paint to blind the CCTV cameras.

The theft came to light when temple priests and administrators arrived at the temple on Wednesday morning and found the idol missing. The Sithamur police then launched the investigation, while senior police officers from Chengalpattu also inspected the temple. Forensic experts examined the premises and collected fingerprints and other clues. A sniffer dog was also deployed.

The Chengalpattu district police have formed two special teams to nab the burglars. They are investigating whether the theft was carried out by a gang from north India or by an organised idol-smuggling gang involved in trafficking antique idols to foreign countries.

According to the association, the secondary-grade teachers appointed after 2009 have faced a prolonged financial strain due to disparities in basic pay. The association said the teachers, despite meeting several educational and recruitment qualifications, have been receiving a basic pay of around Rs 20,600 and have been demanding 'equal pay for equal work'.

The teachers had staged several rounds of protests during previous governments. In particular, a series of intensive protests was held across Chennai and across the state from December 2025 through January 31. The association said several cases were registered following police action during these protests.

Following this, the SSTA had appealed to the CM, the School Education Minister and senior officials of the School Education Department to withdraw the cases, provide equal pay for equal work to around 20,000 secondary-grade teachers, regularise the protest period as service and release withheld salaries. Hence, all cases filed in connection with non-violent protests during the last five years have now been withdrawn by the CM on Wednesday. Welcoming the move, the teachers expressed gratitude and said they are hopeful that CM Vijay will resolve their wage dispute and announce a favourable decision.

The tourists were heading to Chennai through Coimbatore after visiting Alappuzha in Kerala when they had an altercation with two men near a petrol bunk on the Cochin-Salem Bypass Road around evening.

The duo then attacked Loganathan (52) and his son Ugendran (21) with a sickle leaving them injured. “To avoid further escalation of tension, the tourists left the spot hurriedly and were proceeding towards Madukkarai, when the two men followed them in a two-wheeler and displayed a firearm,” said the police.

When the driver attempted to speed away, the van veered towards a pit and got stuck in the slush. As the tourists raised an alarm, the public gathered at the spot and the two persons fled the spot. The two injured tourists were admitted to a private hospital for treatment.

The police are examining CCTV footage in the area to identify the accused and ascertain the exact sequence of events. Further investigation is under way.

M Ganesan (25), a resident from Kumbakonam, and Mukesh Kumar (26) from Bihar, were cleaning the septic tank of a house belonging to S Devanathan at Annai Nagar in Vadugarpettai on Wednesday evening.

When he got down into the 12-feet deep tank and started clearing the waste, Mukesh fell down unconscious. Seeing him falling, Ganesh climbed down into the tank to rescue him but he too fell down unconscious.

Finding both the workers falling down and failing to respond, Devanathan alerted the Kallakudi police. Soon, police and fire and rescue services personnel rushed to the spot and attempted to rescue the duo.

But by then they had already died. Later, the bodies were retrieved and were sent to Lalgudi GH for post-mortem examination. A case was registered and investigations are on.

According to the police, Muthukumar (36), son of Paramasivan of the same locality, is working as a head constable at Thattarmadam police station. He had earlier been arrested and suspended in connection with an attempt to murder his father-in-law.

Muthukumar allegedly attacked Priya (33), wife of Venkata Subramanian, following a dispute over 20 sovereigns of gold jewellery that he had allegedly borrowed from her elder sister, Subbulakshmi.

Priya was running a computer centre, where the incident took place. She died on the spot.

Officials said Muthukumar had not reported for duty since August 28.

The exchange began when Sankarapuram MLA R Rakesh highlighted the achievements of the AIADMK, which he said had ruled Tamil Nadu for nearly 30 years and would remain for hundreds of years. He also said Speaker JCD Prabhakar and Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan were among the political leaders produced by the AIADMK.

Responding to him, Minister Anand said it was TVK and Vijay who had given Prabhakar, Sengottaiyan and others an opportunity to contest recent elections and enter the Assembly.

Speaking subsequently, Revenue Minister Sengottaiyan said there was a phase in his political career when he was uncertain about his political future after facing setbacks. He claimed that it was Chief Minister Vijay who provided him an opportunity and helped him become an MLA.

The remarks resulted in a political sparring in the Assembly over the respective contributions of the AIADMK and TVK to the political careers of the leaders.

Making the announcements during the demand for grants for her department in the Assembly, the Minister said the compensation provided to members of primary milk producers' cooperative societies who die in accidents would be increased from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The compensation for milk producers who lose two limbs in an accident will be enhanced from Rs 2.25 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh. The marriage assistance provided for one girl child of eligible milk producers will also be increased from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The welfare scheme will be implemented through monthly contributions from milk producers, cooperative societies and district milk producers' cooperative unions.

In another major announcement, Vijayalakshmi said the State government would introduce end-to-end automation across Tamil Nadu's three-tier milk cooperative structure at an estimated cost of Rs 5 crore.

A dedicated application software will integrate milk procurement, quality testing, transportation, processing, production of milk products and sales. The system will enable real-time monitoring, reduce errors caused by human intervention and improve traceability and accountability in milk procurement.

The initiative is also expected to ensure timely, quality-based payments to milk producers while helping deliver quality milk to consumers.

Speaking during the debate on the demands for grants, Vijayalakshmi said India was the world's largest milk producer and Tamil Nadu contributed 4.16 per cent of the country's total milk production. The State ranked 11th in milk production in the country, she said.

The Minister said Aavin procured milk worth around Rs 13 crore every day from milk producers, amounting to nearly Rs 5,000 crore annually. However, she alleged that mismanagement under the previous regime had adversely affected Aavin's financial position as well as milk procurement.

She said the number of milk producers' cooperative unions in the State had declined from 9,470 to 8,851, while the number of milk producers fell from 4.25 lakh to 3.16 lakh.

According to the Minister, Aavin had outstanding dues of Rs 255 crore towards milk procured from farmers and a debt of Rs 482 crore to the State government. She further alleged that Aavin's annual loss had increased from Rs 603 crore to Rs 1,275 crore during the previous regime.

Vijayalakshmi said the government would soon release a white paper detailing Aavin's financial and administrative position. She also announced that a committee would be constituted to inquire into the alleged mismanagement of Aavin during the previous government, and action would be taken according to that committee report.

During Question Hour in the Assembly, TVK MLA Vijay Dhamu raised a query about power shortages in his constituency. Responding to him, the minister said high-voltage issues had occurred in several parts of the state.
"The TNEB has no real-time data on power outages, and the department is taking steps to monitor the issue. Power outages are not a new issue," he said.

The Minister said there was currently no real-time data on power outages, adding that the board was collecting data on outages lasting 15 minutes or more.

"The board has decided to collect data on major power outages lasting more than 15 minutes and record who attends to the fault. The board is to identify the reasons after obtaining the details. Real-time data will be available within six months, " the Minister said.

Explaining how to set up sub-stations at Chennai, he also said Chennai city would get six new substations by the end of this month, while 15 more substations would be set up over the next three years.

Sathyabama, the Tirupur North MLA and a member of the Panel of Chairpersons, took the chair during the afternoon sitting of the Assembly's demand for grants session after the Speaker and Deputy Speaker left the House for a break.

Under the Assembly rules, a member of the Panel of Chairmen can conduct the proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

As Sathyabama conducted the House, DMK MLA Thangam Thenarasu rose to congratulate her and described the occasion as a moment of happiness for all members of the Assembly.

"There has long been an expectation that a woman should occupy the chair donated to this Assembly by Lady Wellington as the presiding officer. Today, seeing you sit in that chair, all the members of the Assembly are genuinely happy, " he said.

Praising her for conducting the proceedings with patience and dignity, Thenarasu conveyed the House's congratulations to the TVK MLA.

The Panel of Chairmen also includes TVK MLAs Vijay Saravanan and Madhar Badhurudeen, DMK MLA Kadher Batcha Muthuramalingam, AIADMK MLA Thalavai Sundaram and Congress MLA Tharagai Kathbert.

The occasion marked a significant moment in the history of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

“Temple is a place where people come seeking peace. Doing politics there by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department is unacceptable,” observed Justice C Saravanan.

The court also observed that the omission of the temple trustee panel’s names from the Meenakshi Amman Temple Kumbabhishekam invitation was wrong while disposing of the petition challenging the omission.

During the final arguments in the case, the Additional Advocate General informed the court that the temple Executive Officer had removed the names of the trustees, apparently taking the decision on his own, while Joint Commissioner Chelladurai had included his own name in the invitation. The HR&CE Department Secretary and Commissioner had no role in the matter, he argued.

He further stated that 3,000 invitations had already been printed and distributed, and that it would not be possible to print and distribute them again even if the court passed an order.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, advocate Aranmanai argued that the action of the department was condemnable. He submitted that the names of the Board of Trustees had been included in the invitations for all previous temple Kumbabhishekam ceremonies and sought a direction to follow the same practice.

The judge then observed that a temple is a place where people come seeking peace. “It is unfortunate that the HR&CE Department had engaged in politics at such a place. Such political activity in places of religious worship was not acceptable,” the court said.

The judge also directed the government to ensure that no politics took place in places of religious worship in future and that such places functioned in accordance with the rules.

Subbulakshmi, a member of the temple’s Board of Trustees, had approached the court challenging the omission of the trustees’ names from the Kumbabhishekam invitation and seeking protection for the Board’s statutory duties.

The Committee Report on Wear & Tear, O&M, and Plant Lifespan Implications of Two-Shift Operations in Thermal Power Plant’s recommendation comes against the backdrop of the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEF&CC) relaxing the timelines for complying with sulphur dioxide (SO2) emission standards through a notification issued on July 11, 2025. 

The revised rules gave thermal plants more time to install FGD systems and exempted units officially declared for retirement before December 31, 2030. Under this, Category A plants located within 10 km of cities with a population of more than one million have to comply with SO2 norms by December 31, 2027.

Category B plants in critically polluted areas will be assessed individually and, if not exempted, have to install FGD systems and comply by December 31, 2028. Category C plants are exempt from mandatory FGD installation, subject to meeting stack-height requirements by December 31, 2029.

The CEA committee has now proposed exempting identified old Category A and B plants from FGD requirements if they are used for integrating renewable energy. These plants would shut down during the peak solar generation period, broadly between 9 am and 4 pm or 10 am and 5 pm, and restart in the evening to meet peak demand.

The two-shift model would mean that instead of running at low load throughout the day when solar power is available, the old coal units would be taken off the grid during the solar peak and brought back during the non-solar period. The report said the plants would have a plant load factor of around 60% and would generally use hot starts when restarting each day.

The committee noted that two-shift operation comes with higher costs and accelerated equipment wear because of daily shutdowns and startups. However, it said the older plants, particularly those with near-zero fixed costs or fully depreciated capital costs, could economically be retrofitted for such operation. Since they would remain in operation for only around 16 hours a day, their overall emissions would also be lower than those of plants running for longer periods at low loads.

Tamil Nadu’s 5x210 MW Tuticorin Thermal Power Station (TPS) is one of the key examples cited in the report. CEA and BHEL jointly studied the plant’s two-shift operation and found that its units generally stop generation between 7.20 am and 11.45 am and restart between 3.31 pm and 7.14 pm, depending on system requirements.

The study also quantified the cost of making coal units flexible. Shutdown and startup costs were assessed at 29.42 paise per kWh, while increased O&M costs were 16.68 paise per kWh. Retrofitting was estimated to cost Rs 120 crore to Rs 250 crore per unit. Depending on the investment, the total tariff impact was estimated at 62.24 paise to 79.95 paise per kWh for a 210 MW unit, based on a 12-year payback period.

The committee has identified 151 coal-based generating units totalling 34.5GW and aged 35 years or more for possible two-shift operation. It estimates that the model could provide about 24GW of flexible power or storage to the grid and help accommodate the projected growth in solar generation.

The FGD exemption recommendation is based on the committee’s assessment that these plants would have a significantly reduced operating window and lower daily average emissions while serving as firm backup when renewable generation falls.

V Sundaram of Salem had approached the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the District Collector to ensure equal representation for the Milagu Kattan Adi Dravidar community in the Arulmigu Muthu Mariamman Temple Chariot Festival scheduled for August 27.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, the special government pleader submitted that a peace committee meeting had already been held and that everyone had been permitted to participate in the festival without any reference to caste or creed. She further submitted that the festival was already underway and, therefore, the prayer in the writ petition had become infructuous.

In reply, Sundaram’s counsel submitted that though members of his community were permitted to participate this year, steps should be taken to ensure that they are allowed to participate in the future too, and that such a situation does not recur. Accepting the government’s submission, the court closed the plea.

The High Court observed that the Tamil Nadu Temple Entry Authorisation Act, 1947 clearly prohibits restricting anyone from entering a temple or participating in a festival on the basis of caste. It also noted that the Court has repeatedly held that no one can be denied such rights based on caste.

The court also observed that preventing a Scheduled Caste person from entering a temple on caste grounds amounts to practising untouchability and violates the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 17 of the Constitution. The person responsible for such an act would be liable for prosecution under law.

Taking note of the fact that students are increasingly facing problems ranging from mental stress, poor academic performance, and examination fear to bullying, family issues, and substance abuse, the centre was set up to identify these problems early and provide counselling, guidance, and support.

Instances of students becoming involved in substance abuse, social media-related offences, sexual harassment, caste-related violence, bike racing, and even violent crimes are being reported in the district.

“Normally, students accused of offences are produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to observation homes. This new initiative aims to address the root cause of the problem, which is often mental distress caused by a lack of support from their families or friends,” said a senior police officer.

After a student offender returns home from an observation home, they often regroup with fellow offenders and become involved in crime again. “Now, we will identify such students with the help of the District Child Protection Unit and bring them to the DCC,” the officer said.

“We have formed a trust called TEAM, involving officials and non-officials, including prominent industrialists, with the Collector as its chairperson. The District Counselling Centre has been established under it,” Collector Anand Mohan, who inaugurated it along with SP Visvesh Balasubramaniam Sastri, told DT Next.

The centre will function in coordination with the School Education, Higher Education, Technical Education, Social Welfare, Health, and Police departments, and District Child Protection units. Students below 18 will be handled by the School Education Department and District Child Protection Unit, while the Social Welfare Department will handle youth aged above 18.

The personal details of students and their parents approaching the centre will be kept confidential. A professional psychologist will also be appointed soon, and the centre will function on working days from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Collector added that they were looking for a well-trained child psychologist to provide counselling to students facing serious problems at the Centre. Counsellors from the Social Welfare Department would provide counselling in normal cases, he said.

The district administration is also setting up state-of-the-art facilities exclusively for counselling students, similar to those available in private institutions, he said, adding that a child psychologist would be appointed within this month.

The fresh EPC tender covers the stretch between Km 204.500 near Arakkonam and Km 230 in Kancheepuram district. The successful contractor will have 18 months to complete the remaining works, followed by a five-year maintenance period.

The development assumes significance as the rest of the Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway is either complete or nearing completion. The Arakkonam-Kancheepuram section, however, had achieved only 53% physical progress, with 11.03 km completed, when the concessionaire stopped work in May 2025 citing financial constraints.

NHAI subsequently issued a notice of intention to terminate the contract in November 2025. The matter reached the Madras high court, which directed NHAI in January 2026 to maintain status quo on termination. However, the case was disposed of on August 20 stating that the concessionaire DB Jain was eligible for fly ash free of cost and transportation. The court partly allowed the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway appeal and declared the project eligible for free fly ash and transportation. Its claim for reimbursement, including the Rs 180.17 crore claimed by the concessionaire, was left to the Dispute Resolution Board or, if necessary, the arbitral tribunal under the concession agreement.

The 25.5-km package is not merely a road-laying exercise. The balance works include nine major bridges, one railway overbridge, two grade separators, two minor bridges, 18 vehicular and non-vehicular underpasses and 44 box culverts.

The project alignment passes through 17.4 km in Ranipet district and 8.1 km in Kancheepuram district. It starts near Karnavoor in Arakkonam taluk and ends at Parandur revenue village in Kancheepuram taluk. The alignment crosses a Southern Railway line at Km 223+761.

The BCE is being developed as a four-lane, fully access-controlled expressway. The technical specifications prescribe a minimum design speed of 120 kmph for the plain and rolling terrain.

The latest status submitted by the Union government to the Lok Sabha shows that the Karnataka portion is complete, while substantial portions in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu are also nearing completion.

With the fresh contract carrying an 18-month construction period, the Arakkonam-Kancheepuram stretch is likely to remain the last major bottleneck in making the entire Bengaluru-Chennai Expressway operational.

KARNATAKA

• Bengaluru-Malur: 27.1 km - Complete

• Malur-Bangarpet: 27.1 km - Complete

• Bangarpet-Bethamangala: 17.5 km - Complete

ANDHRA PRADESH

• Bethamangala-Byreddypalli: 25 km – 99% complete

• Byreddypalli-Bangarupalem: 31 km - 93% complete | Due Oct 30

• Bangarupalem-Gudipala: 29 km - Complete

TAMIL NADU

• Gudipala-Walajahpet: 24 km – 99% complete|Remaining work scheduled by Aug 31

• Walajahpet-Arakkonam: 24.5 km – 98% complete|Remaining work scheduled by Aug 31

• Arakkonam-Kancheepuram: 25.5 km – 53% complete|Fresh Rs 633.12cr EPC tendere | 18-month completion period

• Kancheepuram-Sriperumbudur: 31.7 km – 89.97% complete|Due Oct 31

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan set aside the single judge’s order, holding that the directions to inspect all temple- and privately-owned elephants, prevent further acquisition, consider their shifting to these camps, and direct temples not to acquire elephants could not be sustained.

SGM Shaa alias Sheik Mohammed had bought an elephant named Lalitha in 2000 and applied for transfer of her ownership in his name. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden rejected his request by proceedings dated March 23, 2020.

Challenging the order, he filed a petition before the Madurai Bench, which observed that all captive elephants, whether held by temples or private persons, should be shifted to these camps. The court also directed HR&CE to instruct all temples not to acquire any elephant.

Aggrieved by this order, Arulmigu Sri Subramania Swami Thirukoil filed an appeal before the HC.

The commission will be headed by the Chief Secretary and will bring 22 State laws under a common investment facilitation framework. The laws include those relating to forests and land, town planning, fire safety, public health and urban local bodies. The proposed commission will facilitate "large, strategic and high-impact" investments, including projects involving Rs 200 crore or more, those expected to generate at least 5,000 jobs, projects linked to free-trade agreements and investments by the Tamil diaspora.

The Industries secretary will be the member-convener of the commission, which will have up to 20 other members. Five investment or industry experts may be invited as special invitees. As per the Bill, directions issued by the commission to State nodal agencies, single-window committees and departments will be binding. The commission will also review industrial land allotted for industrial use but remaining undeveloped. It will examine the utilisation of land allotted by SIPCOT, TIDCO, SIDCO, TAHDCO and ELCOT, among other State agencies.

The Bill also proposes to streamline the timeline for regulatory approvals. Where State laws or subordinate legislation prescribe more than 21 days, or do not specify a deadline, the approval period will generally be deemed to be reduced to 21 days. However, the provision will not override a longer timeline prescribed under a Central law.

After the Chief Minister's announcement, the DMK Whip EV Velu objected to his reference to the "previous government" in the statement.
"There should not be any debate on announcements made under Rule 110. However, the Chief Minister's statement has led to a debate. It sets a wrong precedent to announce the withdrawal of cases under Rule 110," he said.

Rejecting the DMK's objection, Speaker JCD Prabhakar said there was no violation of the rules in the Chief Minister's announcement.
"Owing to the cases, farmers and other people are under mental stress, and there is nothing wrong in providing relief to them through the withdrawal of cases," the Speaker said.

Intervening, Deputy Leader of Opposition KN Nehru said the government could not immediately withdraw the cases, adding that cases could be withdrawn only through court proceedings.

Replying to him, Minister for Public Works Aadhav Arjuna said the Chief Minister had taken the decision based on the farmers' request, and there was no politics involved in it.

The Speaker stood firm on his position and said the Chief Minister's announcement was not contrary to the Assembly rules. Intervening in the debate, Leader of Opposition Udhayanithi said cases had also been withdrawn during the DMK regime, but not through an announcement under Rule 110.

Addressing reporters here, Nagenthran termed the Chief Minister a "costly Chief Minister" and questioned the necessity of deploying barricades and spending public funds on the visit when the dam held only partial capacity.

"Until today, the total expenditure incurred to construct the Mettur Dam was only Rs 4.80 crore. Today, the Chief Minister has spent Rs 5 crore just to travel from his point of departure to Mettur with barricades lined up on both sides," Nagenthran alleged.

Accusing the state government of "failing" delta farmers, the BJP leader pointed out that the sluice gates of the Mettur Dam, traditionally opened on June 12 for cultivation, faced delays due to an acute water shortage.

He stated that against the dam's total capacity of 95 thousand million cubic feet (TMC), it currently held only 54 TMC. He added that it would take at least 12 days for the released water to reach the tail-end areas of the Cauvery delta.

Nagenthran hit out at the ruling TVK for "failing" to secure Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water from neighbouring Karnataka, despite being in an alliance with the Congress party that governs the upper riparian state.

"The Karnataka government has not released water, yet the Chief Minister has not spoken a single word," he said, stating that Karnataka failed to deliver the mandated 94 TMC of water stipulated by the Cauvery Water Management Authority for the months of July and August.

Highlighting the agrarian distress, the BJP leader said nearly two lakh hectares of farm land remain uncultivated due to water scarcity and demanded immediate compensation for the affected farmers. He added that farmers are currently staging demonstrations in Chennai over the TVK government's unfulfilled electoral promises.

Nagenthran also criticised remarks made in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, stating that while taking training to speak Tamil was unproblematic, prioritising Christianity over the Tamil language alienated the Hindu population and threatened the government's standing.

Taking a swipe at discord within the alliance when asked about leadership projections, Nagenthran noted that while Congress leaders projected Rahul Gandhi, others promoted actor-politician Vijay, reflecting deep disunity and internal friction within the opposition ranks.