Electricity minister CTR Nirmal Kumar said on Tuesday that the state had purchased 2,000 MW last week and was set to buy another 1,500 MW to compensate for the further decline in wind power generation. This takes the additional power procured because of the wind power deficit to 3,500 MW.

"Last year, power demand during this period was around 16,000 MW. This year, it is around 19,000 MW. The demand is about 3,000 MW higher. Besides, wind power generation has fallen by around 1,500 MW," he said.

The minister said power was being purchased, despite market rates crossing Rs 20 per unit on some days, to avoid load shedding. "Other states are resorting to load shedding because of the high market rates. We are purchasing power so that the public does not face hardships,” he said.

Nirmal Kumar maintained that Tamil Nadu was not currently facing a power shortage and that there had been no major outages attributable to the deficit. Isolated interruptions, he said, were due to routine failures such as transformer or equipment breakdowns.

The minister said the government was working to reduce its dependence on expensive short-term market purchases by entering into long-term power purchase agreements. Some of the agreements are expected to start supplying power from October.

With solar power generation peaking during the daytime and the major demand surging in the evening and night hours, the state is preparing a battery energy storage policy, which will be launched within 10 days, the minister said.

Tamil Nadu has already crossed 30,000 MW of installed solar capacity. "We have exhausted the transmission capacity. The problem is that solar power is not available after around 3pm. So, when we have a shortage of 1,000 to 2,000 MW during peak hours, we need battery storage to bridge the gap," he explained.

The government is also working on a single-window portal for domestic rooftop solar applications, incorporating both state and central subsidies.

On reports of power cuts at political events and other venues, Nirmal Kumar said some incidents were caused by local equipment failures and not by a power shortage. But media houses supported by some opposition parties were using old videos to project power cuts as current incidents.

A team comprising DMK MLAs MRK Panneerselvam, Vasantham Karthikeyan and E Raja, led by DMK Whip EV Velu, submitted the petition to the Assembly Secretary.

Following the meeting, the DMK team told reporters that minister Nirmalkumar had spoken about leaders who were not present in the Assembly during the proceedings. They urged the Speaker to take action against the minister for breach of privilege.

Citing the Assembly rules and protocol, Whip Velu said that making allegations against a person who was not present in the House was contrary to the Assembly rules.

"If anyone needs to speak about a person who is not present in the House, prior intimation should be given to the Speaker. But Minister Nirmalkumar did not give any such intimation to the Speaker," Velu said.

He said if the Speaker referred the petition to the Privileges Committee, the committee, headed by Deputy Speaker M Ravishankar, would examine the matter and give the minister an opportunity to respond. Based on the committee's report, the Speaker would take appropriate action, he added.

Minister Nirmalkumar had claimed that there was no official record showing that former Chief Minister MK Stalin was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). Speaking in the Assembly, the minister argued that not everyone detained during the Emergency period was necessarily arrested under MISA. He further alleged that Stalin had been arrested for other reasons, including remarks concerning former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

The Madurai district administration suspended Rooba on September 7 after Melur police registered a case against her under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following a complaint by a sanitation worker, T Sasikala, from the village.

Sasikala alleged in her complaint that Rooba had humiliated her by referring to her caste, followed a two-tumbler system in the panchayat and forced her and three other sanitation workers to clean the houses of members of the Scheduled Caste.

However, Rooba denied the charges in a petition filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, seeking a direction to the Sessions Judge, Special Court for Trial of Cases under the SC/ST (POA) Act, to consider her bail application and dispose of it on the same day of her surrender.

Rooba alleged that Punitha, the previous secretary of Kambur Panchayat, had instigated the sanitation workers to lodge a complaint against her.

She further alleged that Sasikala developed personal vengeance and animosity towards her after she warned her for not performing her sanitation duties. Hence, Sasikala lodged the complaint with an ulterior motive to cause prejudice to Rooba and jeopardise her career by misusing the provisions of the SC/ST (POA) Act, she alleged.

Rooba informed the court that no such incident of caste discrimination, as alleged by Sasikala in her complaint, had taken place.

After hearing the submissions of the petitioner's counsel, the court directed Rooba to surrender before the trial court by September 28.

Dr G Chandrabose filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe into several complaints regarding the circulation of fabricated digital content through X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp, allegedly targeting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), its leaders and public personalities.

The matter came up for further hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan. The plea stated that the impugned content included AI-generated images, morphed photographs, manipulated videos, fabricated news cards and misleading captions.

The petitioner submitted that the materials were not merely fair political criticism, but prima facie disclosed cognizable offences, including impersonation of reputed media organisations, public mischief, defamation, circulation of false electronic content, and acts affecting public order, decency and morality.

He said he had lodged several complaints with the Commissioner of Police, Greater Chennai Police, and other police authorities. However, despite the complaints disclosing cognizable offences, the police had allegedly failed to register FIRs, conduct a proper investigation, or take effective steps to preserve electronic evidence.

He further submitted that the delay and inaction could cause serious prejudice, as cyber evidence is volatile and could be deleted, altered, masked or destroyed.

Expressing apprehension about a fair and impartial investigation by the State Police due to the political sensitivity of the allegations and the alleged proximity of certain persons or entities to the present administration, he sought transfer of the complaints to the CBI for a fair, independent and effective investigation within a time frame fixed by the Court.

Public Prosecutor John Sathyan sought two weeks and stated that comprehensive efforts were being undertaken to formulate a detailed procedure for the removal of defamatory posts from social media platforms.

Accepting the request, the Court granted two weeks and adjourned the hearing. The judge also advised the police to take comprehensive and appropriate action against members of all political parties who post defamatory content on social media platforms.

Speaking at a seminar organised in Gummidipoondi, Shanmugam said land was fundamental not only to farmers' livelihoods but also to food and agricultural production. He alleged that successive governments were introducing laws that would drive farmers away from agriculture.

He said the DMK government had enacted the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation Act, 2023, under which land belonging to different departments, including agricultural and common lands, could be acquired for projects classified as "special projects". The provisions could also pave the way for handing over lakes, ponds and other waterbodies to private entities, he alleged.

"The CPM strongly opposed the law when it was introduced, and the Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association conducted several protests against it. The present TVK government should take steps to withdraw the law as it is detrimental to the future of Tamil Nadu," he said.

Pointing out the recent amendment concerning the conversion of wetland for other purposes, he said the 1971 law required approval of the district collector and the concerned local body before such conversion. But now, the approval of the Director of Municipal Administration would suffice, he noted.

"This takes away the powers of local bodies. Revenue officials have the expertise to deal with land records and classifications. The Director of Municipal Administration does not have the same expertise," he said, urging the government to withdraw the amendment.

He also criticised the new law reducing the minimum land requirement for establishing private universities from 100 acres to 25 acres. He alleged that the move would encourage private universities and lead to a commercialisation of higher education.

Shanmugam said a similar provision had been introduced during an earlier DMK regime but was subsequently withdrawn following opposition from the CPM and others. He alleged that the present TVK government had brought back the same provision without making substantive changes.

"Reservation will not be implemented in private universities in the same manner, affecting students from SC, ST and backward communities. The move will turn higher education into a business," he said.

On the detention of farmers who planned to participate in a protest in Tiruchi seeking complete crop loan waiver, Shanmugam said preventing farmers from expressing their views and placing them under house arrest was condemnable.

He said the government had already announced crop loan waivers on three occasions, totalling around Rs 6,800 crore, but a section of farmers remained dissatisfied. He urged the government to invite farmers' organisation leaders for talks and resolve the issue.

He has filed his nomination as an independent candidate. Rajarathinam, son of Sundaraj of Manakkadavu in Dharapuram taluk, holds MA and BEd degrees.

Despite his educational qualifications, he is currently working as a daily wage labourer. Rajarathinam belongs to the Arundhatiyar community and has been fielded by the federation as its common candidate.

The federation said it would contest the election by raising issues concerning social representation and the demands of people from marginalised sections.

Arundhatiyar Federation president Kalyanasundaram and Vadivelraman, Rajasekaran, Elango, Ganesan, Viduthalaiveeran, NTR Tirupur and Thirumugachelvan from Erode and other areas were present during the nomination filing process.

He also urged party cadres to celebrate reformist leader 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy's birth anniversary and the DMK’s 78th foundation day on September 17.

"My heartfelt thanks to everyone who inquired about my health. Following a fever caused by a viral infection, I am currently at home as advised by doctors. Consequently, my previously scheduled programmes have been postponed," the former chief minister said in a statement.

"As per medical advice, I will continue to rest at home for another two to three days," he added.

"Tomorrow (Thursday), in addition to paying respects by garlanding the statue of Thanthai Periyar, the "social justice day" pledge must be administered across all party offices as announced by the party headquarters," he said, adding, "DMK flags should be hoisted to mark the beginning of the party's 78th year".

DMK general secretary Duraimurugan has said that the 'Mupperum Vizha' has been postponed as Stalin was unwell and the scheduled date will be announced later.

The Mupperum Vizha is an annual event held by the DMK to mark the birth anniversaries of party founder CN Annadurai (Sep 15), reformist leader 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy (Sep 17) and the party's founding day (Sep 17).

The Vizha was originally scheduled to be held here on September 15, 2026 evening at Kalaignar Arangam, an auditorium on the premises of Anna Arivalayam here, the DMK state headquarters.

Responding to a query, Krishnan said the Left parties had the right to field candidates in the bypolls, but maintained that only TVK candidates would emerge victorious in both constituencies.

The Delta Regional TVK coordinator and chairman of Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) denied talks of the alliance turning over the Left’s call and issues within the front over the PM candidate.

Meanwhile, Krishnan said the TNUHDB had so far sold plots to 1.44 lakh beneficiaries at slashed prices through 741 schemes. The beneficiaries would be given pattas after registration, he said.

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The election to the 23-member Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, held on April 30, concluded after an 86-day counting process, with the results being declared on July 21.

A total of 143 advocates contested the election, which recorded an 81 per cent voter turnout across 168 polling stations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. As per the election rules, at least five women advocates were required to be elected to the 23-member Bar Council. Under the preferential voting system, candidates securing the required quota of 3,001 votes were declared elected.

The newly elected Bar Council comprises 18 male advocates — P Amalraj, RC Paul Kanagaraj, E Balamurugan, G Mohana Krishnan, C Paraneedharan, K Balu, among others — and five women advocates. Advocates D Prasanna, L Sumathi and three other women advocates were elected to fulfil the mandatory representation for women.

In accordance with a Supreme Court order, Madras High Court Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari had appointed retired High Court judge Justice VM Velumani and advocate Sudarshana Sundar as two women members to be co-opted into the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Meanwhile, an election to choose the Chairman and Vice-Chairman from among the elected members of the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry was scheduled to be held on September 16. The filing of nominations for the posts took place on Tuesday, with the deadline set at 1 p.m. By then, advocate K Kathiravan had filed his nomination for the post of Chairman, E Balamurugan for Vice-Chairman, and PS Amalraj for the post of member of the Bar Council of India.

As no other candidates filed nominations for these posts, all three were declared elected unopposed by Justice KN Basha, the election officer.

The organisation said that the State government was planning waste to energy plants in several cities, including Kodungaiyur, Tambaram, Coimbatore, Madurai, Salem and Tirunelveli, despite concerns over air and water pollution and hazardous waste generated by such facilities.

According to the CFA report, titled ‘100/100 Pollution Score’, waste to energy plants scored 100 on the cumulative Pollution Index. It compared this with open cast coal mining, copper smelting and thermal power plants, which scored 97.5, 90 and 85 respectively.

Poovulagin Nanbargal questioned why these plants, which reportedly have a higher pollution score, had been moved from the red category to the blue category. The organisation cited the closure of the Manali waste incinerator after cadmium levels were found to be up to 24 times higher than the permissible limit. “The Kodungaiyur facility was also shut after it was revealed that 45 of the 48 pollutants that required mandatory monitoring were not being monitored,” it said.

The organisation further opposed the proposed plants in Tirunelveli and Salem. The State government has announced a Rs 256-crore plant with a 9-MW capacity in Tirunelveli and a Rs 291-crore plant with a 10-MW capacity in Salem.

Police sources said that a senior executive at PNB, Ganesh Chandra Panda, filed a complaint with the GCP Commissioner after an internal audit revealed the wrongdoing.

The incident came to light after a customer's jewellery was 'missing' when the customer came to redeem it in April. Subsequently, the customer's jewellery was found beneath the locker, after which the senior management raised suspicion and examined all the jewellery in the branch.

The police said 2.137 kg of jewellery belonging to 24 customers was found in the locker, but examination showed that it had been replaced with covering jewellery.

According to a complaint by PNB to the police, the former branch manager and three others had conspired and replaced over 2 kg of gold jewellery belonging to 24 customers with fake jewellery.

CCB registered a case under provisions relating to cheating and criminal conspiracy and began efforts to recover the original jewellery.

The state government has announced that the new Assembly complex will be constructed on 25.52 acres at Pattinapakkam, with the proposed facility spread across 20 lakh sq ft at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore.

In opposition to the project, fishermen from Pattinapakkam, Sreenivasapuram and nine fishing villages along the Loop Road, on Tuesday, held a meeting at Sreenivasapuram beach.

They announced that Chief Minister Vijay should revoke the GO for the newly announced Pattinapakkam Assembly complex project after he returns from the UK tour. Otherwise, they said, they would launch an indefinite protest.

Members and representatives from 36 fishing villages along the Chennai coast and various districts attended the meeting and extended their support to the fishermen of Pattinapakkam and the other nine fishing villages.

Fishermen claimed that the 25.52 acres at Foreshore Estate, which was recently procured for the proposed Assembly complex, belonged to the fishing community.

According to them, in 1957, the Tamil Nadu government took land from fishermen and issued GO No. 3313 under the Madras City Improvement Trust, assuring them that new houses would be constructed and handed over to them. However, this did not happen. Therefore, they said, the land belongs to the fishing community.

They also noted that the new Assembly complex plan would affect shore fishing in Nochikuppam, Mullikuppam and Sreenivasapuram. Fish selling, fishing net drying and boat parking would also become impossible as the area would be converted into a highly secured zone, they added.

Speaking at the meeting, Shanthi from Nambikai Nagar said congestion had become a major issue due to the ongoing Metro work, as the traffic was diverted to the Loop Road. The police had initially said the arrangement would continue for only three months, she said, adding, however, three years have passed, and the traffic diversion is still in place, causing heavy congestion. "If the new Assembly complex is established here, we will lose our houses and fishing rights," she said.

Highlighting that under the CZMP map, the Foreshore Estate land would be classified as a fisherman residential area, Neithal Makkal Katchi leader K Bharathi urged the government to declare the Loop Road a protected fishing zone to safeguard the fishing communities.

The bypolls were necessitated after AIADMK MLAs Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who won the Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies, respectively, in the Assembly election, resigned and joined the TVK within weeks of the election results.

The issue has already emerged as a key campaign theme for the Left parties. CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said on Tuesday that the “betrayal” of voters by the two former AIADMK MLAs would be the Left’s primary campaign plank.

“This is going to be our primary election campaign tool. They betrayed the people by resigning their MLA posts before the ink dried on the finger. Within 20 days of the election results, they resigned. What is the guarantee that they will not repeat this and join some other party,” Shanmugam asked a joint press conference where CPI state secretary M Veerapandian announced P Laxmanan as the Left candidate for Dharapuram. Shanmugam announced CPM candidate P Suganthi for Madurantakam.

DMK youth wing secretary and Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin, addressing a marriage function at Velachery on Sunday, alleged that the government had come to power by “buying” MLAs from another party, necessitating the bypolls.

Udhayanidhi said the bypoll victories should mark the beginning of the TVK government’s downfall and urged voters to defeat the ruling party.

While the DMK has suffered defection of its major allies, including Congress, CPM, CPI, VCK and IUML, to the TVK after the polls, the AIADMK alliance seems to be remaining intact except for the PMK, which has remained silent on extending support.

Amid the bypolls, arch-rivals DMK and AIADMK cadres shared sweets and greetings at Anna's birth anniversary celebration in Tirupur; something unheard of in the past.

Meanwhile, the electoral contest is taking shape in both constituencies. In Madurantakam, DMK’s I Paranthaman, TVK’s Maragatham Kumaravel and NTK’s Janakiraman filed their nominations on Tuesday. AIADMK and CPM candidates are expected to file their papers on Wednesday, the last day for nominations, making it a five-cornered contest.

In Dharapuram, 13 candidates including six females had filed nominations till Tuesday. TVK’s Sathyabama, AIADMK’s Bhanumathi and candidates of the CPM and NTK are among those expected to file nominations on Wednesday.

Tagore said the Centre's reluctance to release caste-wise census data and details of corporate loan write-offs exposed what he termed its class and caste bias. He questioned why OBC caste details were being collected through an open-ended format when clear lists were available for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

He pointed out that the Union government's OBC list includes more than 220 communities in Tamil Nadu and argued that collecting details without a predefined list could lead to spelling variations and classification errors. With around 34 lakh enumerators involved in the census exercise, he said the absence of a standardised list could compromise data accuracy.

Tagore alleged that inaccurate OBC data could eventually be used to undermine reservation benefits, including Tamil Nadu's 69 per cent reservation system. He also accused the RSS of opposing social justice and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were implementing its agenda.

The TNCC president announced a statewide campaign to create awareness about the issue, coordinated by TNCC OBC wing president TA Naveen. The campaign will begin in Chennai on September 17 under Tagore's leadership and will be inaugurated by Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani.

Tagore said the campaign will cover 10 cities and the Congress would demonstrate the problems associated with the open-ended method and advocate a verified dropdown system for collecting caste data.

The textbooks are being printed following the introduction of a revised/new syllabus for elementary classes from the current academic year.

Officials said that the process has been expedited after receiving the necessary approvals. “The first-term textbooks were released a couple of months ago, following which preparations for the second-term books began. The process has now been expedited,” a department official said.

The first term, which began in June, is scheduled to conclude by the end of September, after the quarterly exams. The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation is making arrangements to ensure the new textbooks reach schools in time for distribution to students after the holidays.

The syllabus revision is part of the broader changes initiated after the State Education Policy (SEP) was launched in August 2025, while DMK was in power. It is expected that the new syllabus for remaining classes will come into effect from the next academic year.

According to the police, Maheswari, a resident of Jeyabharath Metro City, is working as the headmistress of a government school at nearby Konthagai village.

Her son, Prabhu, runs an insurance agency, the police said. Prabhu, along with his wife and mother, had gone to Madurai to attend the funeral and returned home on Monday night.

However, they were shocked to find the house open and the valuables missing. Tiruppuvanam police personnel inspected the spot and collected evidence, and conducted the investigation.

In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran said the idol had been installed as part of Vinayagar Chaturthi celebrations and criticised its depiction in the likeness of Vijay. He alleged that a deity revered and worshipped by crores of people should not be used for individual glorification or political publicity.

"Transforming an image revered and worshipped by crores of people for individual glorification and political publicity demeans their spiritual sentiments," he said.

The former minister also criticised Vijay for failing to condemn the alleged act at the outset. He claimed that the Chief Minister's silence had encouraged TVK functionaries to engage in such acts.

Nainar said the use of religious imagery for political self-promotion was unacceptable and appealed to the government to safeguard the religious sentiments and worship traditions of the people.

He also demanded that those responsible for displaying the idol be arrested, contending that such acts could undermine the sanctity of religious observances.

The services will connect Tirupati with Chennai, Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, Sengottai, Puducherry, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kancheepuram, Tambaram, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Harur and Hosur.

Advance booking will be available for services from Tiruchy, Thanjavur, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, Karaikudi, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam, Sengottai and Puducherry. Devotees can book through www.tnstc.in and the TNSTC official app.

Also, 285 special buses have been planned for the Meenakshi Amman temple consecration in Madurai.

Meanwhile, 2,716 buses reached the city by Tuesday morning, bringing back passengers after the Vinayaka Chaturthi holiday, with another 623 buses kept ready for deployment based on demand.

Transport minister A Vijay Thamizhan Parthiban inspected the arrangements at Kilambakkam bus terminus and Koyambedu bus stand early Tuesday. He directed officials to deploy extra buses immediately wherever required and monitor crowding and connecting services at the terminals.

Of the 3,339 buses planned for Monday, 1,099 were regular services and 2,240 were special buses. For Tuesday, the department planned 1,099 regular buses and 1,325 special services.

The MTC also operated around 397 buses from Kilambakkam to different parts of Chennai from early morning to connect returning passengers to their destinations. Additional buses were kept ready depending on passenger arrivals.

Between September 11 and 13, state transport corporations operated 6,212 buses from Kilambakkam for passengers travelling out of Chennai for the holiday. The services comprised 3,297 regular and 2,915 special buses, carrying around 2.48 lakh passengers.

Special inspection teams comprising regional transport officers and motor vehicle inspectors have been checking omni buses for the past five days following complaints of passengers being charged more than the prevailing fares.

Officials have inspected buses across Tamil Nadu and issued inspection reports and e-challans to 1,169 buses in which violations were detected. A compounding fee of Rs 24.44 lakh was imposed, of which Rs 5.4 lakh was collected as spot fines.

The department also collected Rs 53.62 lakh in taxes due from omni buses registered in other states but operating in Tamil Nadu. The total collection through tax and compounding fees in the five-day drive stood at Rs 59.02 lakh. Six buses were detained for operating without valid fitness certificates and without paying the applicable road tax.

Around 3,000 omni buses operate from Chennai to various parts of Tamil Nadu during festival periods. The department said that around 40 special teams had been deployed across TN and inspections would continue to prevent overcharging and other violations.

The department also warned operators that if an online ticket booked by a passenger was cancelled by the bus owner, an alternative bus must be arranged for the passenger. Failure to do so could lead to cancellation of the bus permit.

For complaints, call 9384808333 or visit tc.tn@nic.inThe department also warned operators that if an online ticket booked by a passenger was cancelled by the bus owner, an alternative bus must be arranged for the passenger. Failure to do so could lead to cancellation of the bus permit.

For complaints, call 9384808333 or visit tc.tn@nic.in

Launching the AI-based Large Language Model (LLM), ‘Sanskrit Heritage Model’, at the Madras Sanskrit College here, Sitharaman said that language learning should draw people towards great literature rather than confine them to rigid grammatical rules.

“The language has to be tempting enough for people to learn. These are the kind of spice you need into it,” she said, cautioning against tools that are dry as bone in teaching Sanskrit. “We need for wider critical and appreciative studies of Indian classics, contrasting the extensive scholarship available on William Shakespeare with the relative scarcity of accessible analytical works on Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.”

She added that AI could help bridge this gap by analysing classical texts extensively. “A tool capable of explaining grammar, Sandhi and Samasa and identifying literary devices such as Upamas could provide scholars with an invaluable research aid,” she said.

Highlighting Sanskrit’s historical influence beyond India, she referred to the presence of Sanskrit words in contemporary Croatian and Indic-language repositories in the Philippines, Vietnam’s Cham kingdom, Central Asia and the Caucasus. She urged technologists to use AI to locate and index manuscripts, palm-leaf records and inscriptions scattered across global archives, citing the Leiden copper plates that documented grants to a Buddhist vihara near Nagapattinam.

“That biggest strength, which is in our DNA, should not be lost,” she said. “We must carry India’s linguistic heritage into the 21st and 22nd centuries through technology.”

The model was developed by Articul8 AI, led by CEO Arun K Subramaniyan, Managing Director Ananthanarayanan Shanmugham and Trustee and Director of the Madras Sanskrit College, Sri Ramesh Mahalingam. BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, actor Chinni Jeyanth and former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami attended the event.

Around 60,000 domestic services had been blocked under the earlier criteria, which flagged bills showing a variation of more than 20% from the previous assessment.

TNPDCL said that the exercise had led to a large number of genuine assessments being sent for re-verification amid sharp consumption variations caused by humid weather. Field officials had also reported staff shortages and difficulties in using the user IDs of vacant posts to review blocked services.

Under the revised system, only bills where the differential amount exceeds Rs 3,000 compared with the previous assessment will be blocked. TNPDCL said that inspection of more than 29,300 blocked services had detected only 100 billing errors, putting the error rate at 0.34%.

The corporation has prescribed different levels of officials to re-verify bills based on the excess amount, with AEE-level officials checking bills where the increase exceeds Rs 20,000. The exercise has to be completed within five days of blocking the bill to enable prompt corrective action.

According to a GO, Balachander was stripped of his duties with immediate effect. Avadi Corporation Commissioner R Saranya has been given full additional charge of Tambaram Corporation. The government also ordered a detailed departmental inquiry into the incident.

The TVK government's rapid response unfolded on the very day Arappor submitted a detailed complaint to the Chief Minister and the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption, among others.

The NGO alleged that two civic projects, valued at Rs 45.9 lakh, were executed and inaugurated even before the formal tender process had concluded. Arappor Iyakkam claimed the works were carried out to benefit predetermined contractors, with tender notices uploaded subsequently on the Tamil Nadu Tenders portal to regularise the illegalities.

The NGO pointed out that a project worth Rs 27.3 lakh, involving the installation of an Ashoka pillar and beautification of the Perungalathur bridge roundabout, was floated online on August 6 with a bid-opening date set for August 24. However, the work had already been finished and inaugurated on July 29 in the presence of Minister D Sarathkumar and civic officials.

A similar violation occurred in a second tender for installing a Save Water Concept statue, landscaping, and beautification at Chitlapakkam Roudana, valued at Rs 18.6 lakh. Though published on August 6 with bid opening slated for August 24, 2026, the work was inaugurated on August 10 — 14 days prior to the deadline for bid submission and opening.

A similar violation occurred in a second tender for installing a Save Water Concept statue, landscaping, and beautification at Chitlapakkam Roudana, valued at Rs 18.6 lakh. Though published on August 6 with bid opening slated for August 24, 2026, the work was inaugurated on August 10 — 14 days prior to the deadline for bid submission and opening.

A similar power outage disrupted events attended by Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyan on Monday and VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan on Sunday.

TNPDCL, however, said the interruption was due to repair work at the Gummidipoondi 33/11 kV substation. A faulty 33 kV AB switch, which had malfunctioned since Saturday, was being repaired from 11am. Power supply to areas served by the substation had been switched to the SIPCOT substation.

The utility said the changeover caused a 10-minute outage in Gummidipoondi Bazaar between 10.50 am and 11 am. The switch was repaired and supply restored around 12.05 pm. TNPDCL also said it had not been informed about the public meeting.

Addressing the 36th convocation of Dr M.G.R Educational and Research Institute at Velappanchavadi here, she said graduation should not be seen as the end of education but as the beginning of a lifelong learning journey.

“Whether you call yourselves Gen Z or Gen Alpha, we’re all ready to listen to what you have to say. But you must reflect on what is happening around you, what your role is, and what can be achieved for the country through you,” she said.

Calling upon the graduates to lead in their respective fields, Nirmala said, “Take up leadership. You must lead, and you must put the country first. Only if the country remains secure and strong will we have a home to live in. We should never give up our country.”

Referring to the Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in the Middle East, she opined that the prevailing global uncertainty underscored the importance of national security and stability. “Despite disruptions caused by the conflicts, India has maintained macroeconomic stability and recorded 7.8% growth,” she said, attributing the resilience to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Union Finance Minister said that Tamil Nadu had emerged as a major industrial and technology hub, with the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam corridor becoming a global centre for automobile manufacturing and smartphone exports. “The State has around 350 Global Capability Centres, nearly 10% of the national total,” she said.

She also highlighted the provision for working women’s hostels in every district in the Union Budget, which supported greater participation of women in the workforce, particularly in STEM fields. Quoting the Thirukkural, she advised graduates to remain humble, shun arrogance and face challenges with patience.

Urging graduates to care for their parents, University Chancellor AC Shanmugam said, “The university has undertaken 15 research projects with DRDO and will soon launch a satellite for farmers and fishermen. We have allocated Rs 25 crore for research this year.”

A total of 3,445 students received degrees, including 26 who were awarded doctorates.

Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, Thirumavalavan said DMK stalwarts CN Annadurai and M Karunanidhi had faced harsh criticism from political opponents but responded in a civilised and dignified manner. He said the current tendency of some DMK leaders to resort to personal attacks during protests was negatively affecting the party's public image.

Expressing concern over the health of DMK president MK Stalin, Thirumavalavan wished him a speedy recovery and said he would visit him after returning to Chennai. Recalling his association with Stalin for over 15 years, he described the DMK leader as someone who chose his words carefully and avoided hurting others.

On the issue of farmers, Thirumavalavan said the withdrawal of cases against them had provided only temporary relief and reiterated the demand for a crop loan waiver promised during the elections. He said he had personally raised the matter with the Chief Minister and would continue to press for a fresh waiver announcement.

Commenting on the ongoing power cut issue, the VCK leader said ministers were often misled by inaccurate information provided by officials. He urged officials to be transparent and present the actual situation to the government so that problems could be addressed effectively.

Thirumavalavan also appealed to the Election Commission of India to prevent a recurrence of the so-called "Tirumangalam formula" and to ensure strict action against the distribution of money during elections. He said the poll panel's role should extend beyond merely conducting polls to safeguarding electoral integrity.

During the hearing of an appeal, State Information Commissioner Abay Kumar Singh said the reasons given by the Information Officer for not providing the details could not be accepted. He also directed the official to file a compliance report on September 29.

V Loganathan, a resident of Kovilambakkam, had sought certain revenue-related details from the Revenue Divisional Office (RDO), South Chennai.

The then Information Officer of the RDO, C Vanitha, failed to provide the information Loganathan sought. Subsequently, he filed an appeal with the State Information Commission, which was heard by Abhay Kumar Singh.

In her reply to the Commission, Vanitha said she had been responding to RTI petitions. However, owing to a shortage of officials and the heavy workload of handling RTI petitions from five revenue taluks, she could not provide the information sought by the petitioner.

She also assured the Commission that she would discharge her responsibilities properly in future.

In his order, Abay Kumar Singh rejected the reasons given by the Information Officer and imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 under Section 20(1) of the RTI Act. At the time, Vanitha was working as special tahsildar (land acquisition) in the Highways Department.

The Information Commissioner directed her to submit a compliance report on September 29.

DMK candidate I Paranthamen filed his nomination papers, and his wife, M Prema, also submitted her papers as the alternate candidate.

In his affidavit, he stated that he had Rs 40,000 in cash and that his wife had Rs 25,000. He owns a Toyota Innova, 10 sovereigns of gold jewellery, and 1 kg of silver.

His wife, Prema, declared 40 sovereigns of gold jewellery and two kg of silver. According to the affidavit, he and his wife own buildings and land worth Rs 81 lakh and Rs 65.10 lakh, respectively.

The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) candidate, K Maragatham Kumaravel, who had resigned as the MLA representing the Madurantakam constituency, also filed her nomination papers.

She declared Rs 50,000 in cash and owns three vehicles, including an Innova Crysta. She has gold jewellery worth Rs 79.53 lakh and land and buildings worth Rs 86.40 lakh.

The details in her nomination papers remain unchanged from those she submitted during the General Election held in April 2026.

With several major parties yet to file their nominations for Dharapuram, TVK candidate Sathyabama, AIADMK candidate Banu Mathi, and candidates from Naam Tamilar Katchi and the Communist parties are expected to file their nominations on Wednesday.

On Monday, 18 people filed their nominations, including Maheswaran, 44, an office-bearer of the Anti-Corruption Enforcement Party from Musiri in Tiruchy. They filed their nominations as independents.

Earlier, on September 9, ‘election king’ Padmarajan, a resident of Mettur in Salem district, filed his nomination. On September 11, Annadurai, 52, from Palladam, filed his nomination as an independent candidate.

No nominations were filed on September 10 or from September 12 to 14, with the latter three days being government holidays.

Only five persons are allowed to accompany a candidate inside the Dharapuram RDO office premises during nomination filing, as per the authorities. The process is being conducted under the supervision of Dharapuram DSP Sivakumar.

Political functionaries arriving with drums and other musical instruments have been stopped outside the office compound.

In a post on X, Udhayanidhi said reports had emerged that the committee was facing difficulties continuing its work due to a staff shortage. He alleged that the situation had prevented researchers and research scholars involved in preparing the committee's second report on State autonomy from continuing their work.

The DMK alleged that the TVK government was afraid to speak and fight for State rights and was now attempting to stall a committee constituted to study the issue.

"Reels alone cannot establish State autonomy," the party said, urging the government to ensure that the high-level committee examining Centre-State relations functions without interruption.

The committee was constituted by the government led by DMK president MK Stalin to examine issues relating to relations between the Union and State governments.

Since the TVK-led government took charge, it has not approved the required staff strength for the committee.

Vijay hailed Anna’s visionary thinking and service to the people, saying the former Chief Minister created a new chapter in the State’s political history and raised his voice for the rights of the poor and the humble.

“Through his inspiring speeches and sharp writing prowess, he captivated the hearts of the people, assumed governance with their immense support, named our State — Tamil Nadu — out of his boundless love for the Tamil language, laid the foundation for State autonomy, granted legal recognition to self-respect marriages, and left an indelible mark in the social and political history of Tamil Nadu,” Vijay said in a statement on ‘X’.

He said the State government was determined to ensure that social justice, equality and fraternity flourished everywhere and to safeguard the glory of Tamil, while embracing Anna’s slogans of “Duty, Dignity and Discipline” and “We see God in the smile of the poor.”

Stalin hailed Anna as a great scholar who penned the political grammar of Tamil Nadu and laid the political foundation of the State. He said Anna would live forever through the State’s self-respect, social justice, State autonomy and affection for the Tamil language.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said Anna sowed a unique sense of self-respect in the minds of Tamils and nurtured the principles of the Dravidian movement, including social justice, equality, self-respect and State rights.

Palaniswami said Anna’s political life, which prioritised policy over power, people over position and social progress over personal fame, would remain a guiding beacon for generations. He also urged people to resolve to “liberate Tamil Nadu from the delusion of reels politics” and re-establish an “Annaism government” for the State’s progress.

Meanwhile, ministers from the Cabinet paid floral tributes to Anna’s statue on Anna Salai on behalf of the State government. Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar and Ministers N Anand, K G Arunraj, Rajmohan, D K Prabhu and Vanni Arasu were among those who participated.

AIADMK MP M Thambidurai also paid floral tributes to Anna’s statue at the Parliament House complex in Delhi.

The State government has announced Anna gallantry medals for 180 police personnel and members of the Fire and Rescue Services Department to mark the occasion.

With only two days left for the Kumbabishekam, Rukmani Palanivelrajan, chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and mother of former Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, told reporters that arrangements for the event were being made without consulting or involving the trustees.

“Beyond the arrangements for the safety of devotees and infrastructure facilities for the Kumbabishekam, it remains a question whether proper guidelines have been issued in a manner that everyone can know and follow,” Rukmani said.

On the issue of passes, she said different figures, such as 9,000 and 11,000, were being reported every day. “We have not been informed whether the invitation has reached the highly respected donors and sponsors,” she said.

She further said that the Board of Trustees had prepared a list of people who should not be left out of the event, but the temple administration had not considered it.

“We had hoped that the festival would be conducted peacefully without any differences. However, the temple administration is taking unilateral decisions without consulting us,” she alleged.

Rukmani further said that her family had a long association with the temple and had never mixed politics with spirituality. “Our family, which traces its lineage to the family of the late P.T. Rajan, who headed the temple’s Kumbabishekam in 1963 and presented a diamond crown to Meenakshi Amman, has never mixed politics and spirituality,” she said.

“We are always conscious that politics should not interfere in spiritual works and ensure that temple renovation and other spiritual activities are carried out in the best possible manner,” she said.

The Tamil Nadu government has declared a local holiday in Madurai district on Thursday to enable devotees to participate in the Maha Kumbabishekam. The Madurai Corporation and temple administration have arranged uninterrupted drinking water supply, mobile and permanent toilet facilities and sanitation workers on a rotational basis to maintain cleanliness.

As the temple city is witnessing extreme heat during the morning hours, the authorities are taking steps to lay coconut-fibre mats on the main streets to reduce the impact of the heat. To meet emergency medical needs, special medical camps equipped with Advanced Life Support (ALS) facilities will be established inside the temple premises, on the rooftop and in the surrounding areas. Around 70 doctors, 108 ambulances and mobile medical teams will be kept ready.

For the convenience of devotees arriving from other districts, temporary bus stands will be established at five locations, while free vehicle parking facilities will be provided at 55 locations. Additional special buses will also be operated. The Food Safety Department is conducting inspections to ensure the quality of food distributed as annadhanam by authorised organisations.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel will station water tankers, rescue equipment and firefighters at key locations. Alternative power connections and generators will be installed to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

A consultation meeting on preparations and security arrangements for the Mahakumbabishekam of the Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple was held in Madurai on Tuesday under the leadership of special monitoring officers appointed by the Tamil Nadu government.

The meeting was chaired by special monitoring officers K Veera Raghava Rao, Secretary, Labour Welfare and Skill Development Department; P Madhusudhan Reddy, Director of Municipal Administration; and Dr C Pazhani, Director of the Employment and Training Department. TG Vinay, Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment and Madurai district collector Nishant Krishna also participated in the meeting.

The officials discussed various arrangements to ensure that devotees visiting the temple for the Kumbabishekam could have darshan without inconvenience. Extensive barricades, seven separate entry routes for colour-coded passes and proper signboards will be installed.

The public can contact toll-free numbers 1800-425-6781 and 1800-425-6782 for any emergency. The monitoring officers asked officials across all departments to work together and ensure that devotees visiting the festival have darshan without any inconvenience.

The special monitoring officers subsequently inspected the final-stage preparations and security arrangements for Kumbabishekam. They inspected the integrated control room at Puthu Mandapam, from where police officials were monitoring the temple and surrounding areas through LED monitors. 

A CCTV network with 241 new cameras and Facial Recognition System (FRS) cameras has been installed at 70 locations for intensive surveillance.

The 49 had travelled through Mahadev Kailash Yatra Agency in Chromepet, and there has been no information about them since the disaster.

Balu, a relative of one of the missing persons, said the families had been waiting for a proper response from the authorities for the past 20 days. Even after DNA samples were collected from relatives, no official announcement has been made so far, he noted.

Balu urged the authorities to expand the search beyond Nepal and look for the missing persons in China as well.

Arundhathi, the wife of a missing pilgrim, said she has not received any information about her husband even after 20 days since he left for Nepal. "I don’t know whether or not I should continue wearing the ‘pottu’. I am waiting for some decision or information," she said, urging the authorities to take immediate action instead of delaying the matter.

The protesting families later met the minister for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare K Thennarasu at the Secretariat. The families said the minister heard their concerns and assured them that efforts were already underway to ascertain the status of the missing persons and that further action will be expedited.

On August 26, an avalanche of ice and rock triggered massive flash floods in Nepal, killing over a thousand people and leaving thousands missing, while causing widespread damage to villages and infrastructure.

Stressing the TVK government to waive crop loans as per the poll promises, as many as 40 farmers' associations announced an indefinite waiting protest in Tiruchy.

While the Tiruchy Collector granted permission, the Tiruchy police refused it, citing law and order issues, and the police even prevented erect makeshift shelters for the protest scheduled at Samayapuram in Tiruchy and stopped the volunteers from even arranging drinking water.

Many farmers were kept under house arrest and prevented from entering the border of Tiruchy district. Despite all these restrictions, the members from all 40 associations converged at the identified location at Samayapuram on Tuesday and commenced their protest even under the scorching sun.

While the farmers continued to protest and demanded the total waiver of crop loan without any conditions, the officials called the leaders of the association for a talk at Tiruchy Collectorate.

Subsequently, the farmer leaders Easan Murugasamy, founder of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Paathugappu Sangam, P Ayyakannu, State President of Desiya Thennidiya Nadhigal Inaippu Sangam, KV Elankeeran, president of Federation of Cauvery Delta Farmers Associations, Pakkiyanathan, president, Tamil Nadu Vaigai Farmers Association and other leaders went to take part in the talks.

The ministers R Vinoth (Agriculture), V Gandhiraj (Cooperation) and S Ramesh (HR&CE) convened a talk with the farmer leaders.

The meeting, which commenced at around 2.30 pm, lasted till 4.30 pm, and the farmer leaders continued to stress the crop loan waiver as per the poll promise and to immediately release a GO in this regard.

But the ministers tried to convince the farmer leaders and stated that the decision would be taken after the arrival of the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, from London, and asked them to withdraw the protest.

The farmer leaders told the ministers that they would consult with the farmers at the protest venue and make the announcement. Subsequently, the farmer leaders went to the protest spot and consulted with the farmers, but they refused to withdraw the protest and decided to continue the protest until the demand was fulfilled and continued to stay at the spot.

He also mentioned that a control room has been set up at Pudhu Mandapam opposite the East Rajagopuram of the temple to coordinate officials from departments for the kumbabhishekam (consecration ceremony).

The previous kumbabhishekam was conducted on April 8, 2009. As per Agama traditions, the ceremony is to be held once every 12 years.

Following the previous ceremony, repair and painting works were carried out on gopurams and mandapams after obtaining approvals from Archaeology Department experts and expert committees.

A total of 186 works have been taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 32.29 crore. Of these, 86 works costing Rs 15.40 crore were funded from temple funds, while 100 works estimated at Rs 16.89 crore were undertaken with donor contributions.

Drinking water and prasadam bags containing biscuits will be provided at entry points. Medical assistance centres staffed by government doctors and nurses have been readied in the temple complex and surrounding streets, with 108 ambulances arranged for emergencies.

LED screens have also been installed at public places. The kumbabhishekam for the parivara deities will be held on September 16 from 5 am to 6 am. On September 17, the golden vimanas and Rajagopurams will undergo kumbabhishekam from 7.40 am to 8.10 am, followed by kalasabhishekam for Meenakshi Amman and Sundareswarar.