Speaking to reporters after visiting the dry field due to unavailability of water at Azhiyur in Nagapattinam, the farmer leader Pandian said, kuruvai was cultivated in an area of 6.31 lakh acres across the Delta last year, and it had shrunken to just 2 acres during the current year due to paucity of water. 

“The failure of water release from Mettur had not only parched 12 lakh acres of land across Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai but also resulted in acute drinking water shortage in more than 1000 villages across the region. And the government should sort out the issue on a war footing,” Pandian appealed.

He appealed to the State government to insist that the Centre adhere to the order of the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee that recommended Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of water for 15 days. "This would solve the demand for water to some extent," he said.

Meanwhile, Pandian pointed out that the delay in the movement of procured kuruvai paddy for hulling had further damaged it, and so he appealed to the State government not to use the kuruvai paddy for public distribution, as the quality of rice would be below the average, he cautioned. 

He also appealed to the government not to force the rice mills to hull the procured kuruvai paddy along with the samba and kar (practised in districts like Tirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore and Erode), he said.

Pandian said that despite the Congress and the BJP opposing each other in Karnataka, both parties stand united in the Mekedatu dam construction issue. 

The members of these associations discussed and presented long-pending and new demands to the government. Some of the demands include: introducing computer science from classes 1 to 12, regularisation for teachers employed under the Samagra Shiksha (SS) scheme, extension of noon meal till class 12, exempting exam fees, including supplementary fees for students of state-run schools, and providing transportation facilities for all students. Several members of the TN library association requested an increase in the salaries of staff and librarians.

"Most of the long-pending demands have been placed to both the DMK and AIADMK parties while in power so far. Hence, with the TVK party forming the government, we hope it fulfils the promises made during the election campaign and in its manifesto," said a member of the TN government teachers' association.

Additionally, another member of the TN secondary grade teachers' association said that new demands have also been placed for the welfare of teachers, students and non-teaching staff. "We hope the demands are actually addressed instead of giving false promises," said the member.

He said the State could have filled the seats by holding another round of counselling with relaxed eligibility criteria for in-service government doctors. Of the 214 seats reserved for government doctors out of 430, only 63 were filled, leaving 151 vacant. Calling the order a blow to Tamil Nadu's rights and medical education system, Shanmugam urged the government to engage senior lawyers, pass an Assembly resolution opposing the transfer of State quota super-speciality seats to the All India Quota, and continue its demand to move education back to the State List. He also sought better career prospects for super-speciality graduates and a reduction in the Rs 40 lakh bond amount for private doctors.

In a circular issued on Wednesday, TNPDCL Chairman and Managing Director V Arun Roy directed senior officials across all distribution regions to physically verify domestic service connections that showed significant variation in power consumption compared with the previous billing cycle in May.

The re-inspection will be carried out by officials ranging from Chief Engineers to Assistant Engineers. Each category of officer has been assigned a fixed number of service connections for verification, with Assistant Executive Engineers and Accounts Officers in the Revenue Intelligence Squad inspecting up to 150 services each.

The utility has set August 7 as the deadline for completing the inspections and has instructed officials to rectify any billing or assessment errors on the spot, if detected.

TNPDCL sources said the exercise was intended to allay consumer apprehensions over higher electricity bills rather than to launch an enforcement drive.

"We analysed domestic electricity bills for the May and July billing cycles and identified around 3.7 lakh consumers whose power consumption had increased sharply," a senior TNPDCL official said.

According to the official, nearly 15,000 consumers recorded consumption of more than 1,000 units during the latest billing cycle, while around one lakh consumers consumed between 500 and 1,000 units. The remaining consumers fell in the 101-500 units consumption slab.

Officials said the increase in consumption coincided with a prolonged spell of El Niño-induced hot and humid weather across the State. "The prolonged heat has resulted in households using air-conditioners, air coolers and other cooling appliances for longer durations than usual. Naturally, electricity consumption has gone up, leading to higher bills for many consumers," the official said.

Responding to Anbumani's remarks, Manickam Tagore released a reply video and questioned whether the PMK would withdraw its support for the BJP in the Rajya Sabha after the Union government's statement on the Mekedatu project, in a tit-for-tat for daring Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to talk about Mekedatu during his upcoming Tamil Nadu visit. Tagore also asked why Anbumani appeared nervous, asking whether "he was facing a CBI case and that Anbumani believed the people of Tamil Nadu were unaware of it ?"

Tagore further said that the Congress is in power in several states and is the principal Opposition party in Parliament. He also criticised the PMK, saying it had won only four Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu with all the support of the AIADMK and the BJP.'

He also announced that the PMK would soon expand to Andhra Pradesh, stating that office bearers from all districts of the neighbouring state would participate in a consultation meeting this Saturday as part of preparations to launch the party there.

The PMK general council unanimously re-elected Anbumani Ramadoss as party president, Vadivel Ravanan as general secretary, and Thilagabama as treasurer, following the end of the internal conflict between Ramadoss and Anbumani.

Meanwhile, Anbumani accused both the Congress and the BJP of putting Karnataka's electoral interests ahead of Tamil Nadu's rights in the Mekedatu issue. Referring to Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary's recent reply in Parliament, he termed the Centre's stand a "betrayal" of Tamil Nadu.

Without naming TNCC president Manickam Tagore directly, Anbumani mocked his reaction to the PMK's criticism, saying the Congress leader had "rolled up his sleeves" in anger. "We have faced police firing, lathi charges and imprisonment. You may not even have been born then. We are carrying out constructive politics," he said, warning that the PMK would not be intimidated.

He further claimed that the PMK had won several Assembly seats by contesting independently, while alleging that the Congress could not even win a councillor's post on its own. He also said he would closely watch whether Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu on August 1, would speak in support of Tamil Nadu's stance on the Mekedatu project.

Calling for political unity on the Cauvery issue, Anbumani urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene an all-party meeting and lead a delegation of political leaders and MPs to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He alleged that while political parties in Karnataka remained united on water issues, Tamil Nadu's leaders were divided by "ego".

The PMK chief also urged the State government to waive all cooperative bank loans taken by farmers, estimating that Rs 15,000 crore would be sufficient. Warning of severe drought conditions due to the expected impact of a "Super El Niño", he appealed to the government to prioritise farmers in the upcoming State Budget.

Announcing the party's future programmes, he said PMK would launch a two-year statewide prohibition awareness movement on Gandhi Jayanti, October 2, under the leadership of MLA Sowmiya Anbumani.

In a statement, Stalin alleged that the government failed to effectively defend Tamil Nadu's case before the Supreme Court, resulting in the transfer of the seats to the national pool. He questioned why the State delayed appointing senior legal counsel to argue its case and claimed that the government's legal defence was weak during the crucial initial stages of the proceedings.

He also raised concerns over the counselling process, asking whether the government had prematurely declared 151 super-speciality seats as vacant even before the commencement of the second round of All India counselling. According to him, this decision enabled the seats to be shifted to the All India Quota.

The former Chief Minister further criticised the government for not passing a resolution in the State Assembly opposing the transfer of the seats, despite repeated demands from political parties and the medical fraternity to safeguard Tamil Nadu's allocation.

Stalin said the loss of the seats would have serious long-term implications for the State's public healthcare system, as super-speciality medical seats are essential for producing specialist doctors who serve in government hospitals. A reduction in the State quota, he warned, could affect the availability of specialists in the coming years.

Demanding an explanation from the government, Stalin urged it to disclose the circumstances that led to the loss of the 151 seats and take immediate legal and administrative steps to restore Tamil Nadu's entitlement. He said the government must exhaust all available legal remedies to reclaim the seats and protect the interests of aspiring doctors and the State's healthcare infrastructure.

At a function held at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister presented appointment orders to 28 Deputy Collectors, seven Deputy Superintendents of Police, 19 Assistant Commissioners (Commercial Taxes), 15 Assistant Directors of Rural Development, three District Employment Officers, and six Assistant Commissioners of Labour.

In addition, 48 candidates selected through the TNPSC's Combined Technical Services Examination also received their appointment orders from the Chief Minister.

Minister for Human Resources Management D Sarathkumar and Minister for Environment and Forests VK Rajeev participated in the event.

Speaking to reporters in Thanjavur, Vasan said the statement, made by the minister in the Rajya Sabha, had shocked farmers in Tamil Nadu. He claimed that the State government, political parties and the public were united in opposing Karnataka's proposed Mekedatu project.

"It is inappropriate for a Union minister to take a biased stance and attempt to create tension between two states," he said.

Pointing out that the Supreme Court, the Cauvery Water Management Authority and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee had upheld Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and directed Karnataka to release its due share, Vasan said the minister's remarks ran contrary to the recommendations of the water management authorities.

Appealing to the Union government and the authorities to safeguard Tamil Nadu's rights, Vasan urged them not to take any decision on the Mekedatu dam project that would affect the State's interests.

On the political front, Vasan said the TMC was strengthening its organisational base in preparation for the local body elections. Reiterating the party's recent break with the BJP-led NDA, he asserted that the TMC would not enter into an alliance with the NDA.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan issued the directions while disposing of a PIL filed by a young woman who was allegedly raped by two police constables in Tiruvannamalai district, seeking a speedy trial.

The Bench directed the Fast Track Mahila Court, Tiruvannamalai, to continue the trial on a day-to-day basis, without unnecessary adjournments, and make every effort to conclude the trial as expeditiously as possible.

The Court directed all Principal District and Sessions Courts, Additional Sessions Courts, Mahila Courts, and other Special Courts in Tamil Nadu trying rape and sexual offence cases to comply with the mandatory two-month timeline under Section 346(1) of the BNSS and grant adjournments only for truly exceptional reasons recorded in writing, in accordance with Section 346(2) of the BNSS.

The Bench further directed the Director General of Police to annually review the adequacy of the existing supervisory mechanisms for night patrol duties and strengthen them wherever gaps are found, particularly in remote and poorly lit highway stretches. It also observed that the authorities must ensure that incidents where the protectors turn predators never recur.

It further directed all Pocso Special Courts to comply with Section 35 of the Act by recording the evidence of child survivors within 30 days of taking cognisance and, as far as possible, completing trials within one year.

It also directed the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy to periodically train Presiding Officers on these requirements, the prompt cognisance of electronically filed charge sheets, and compliance with the mandate under Section 35(2) of the Pocso Act.

The Court also directed that the four presently vacant Pocso Courts at Cuddalore, Dindigul, Madurai, and Thoothukudi be filled at the earliest and that the Government take an early decision on constituting the six Special Courts already sanctioned but not yet established, and report the progress made to the Court through the Registrar General within two months.

Justice B Pugalendhi made the observations while closing two criminal appeals arising out of the rejection of two bail petitions in a case relating to the alleged assault on a Scheduled Caste activist over his efforts to retrieve Panchami land, following an order passed by the High Court on December 12, 2025, in respect of Keeranur village in Madurai district.

Within a week of the High Court's order on the activist's plea to restore Panchami land, the appellants, along with a few others, allegedly brutally attacked the activist and caused him grievous injuries on December 18, 2025. Having regard to the gravity of the allegations, the High Court, at that stage, did not consider it appropriate to decide the question of bail, and the matter was kept pending for consideration.

The subsequent bail applications were filed before the Sessions Court when the criminal appeals challenging the earlier rejection of bail were already pending before the High Court. However, neither the counsel for the accused nor the Public Prosecutor brought the pendency of the appeals to the notice of the Sessions Court. Consequently, the Sessions Court granted bail to the accused.

"The present case highlights the importance of ensuring that the State is effectively represented by competent prosecuting officers," the Court said.

Referring to the appointment of Public Prosecutors in district courts, the judge noted that the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) prescribes only a minimum of seven years' practice for Public Prosecutors and ten years' practice for Special Public Prosecutors, but does not lay down objective criteria such as legal acumen, drafting skills, integrity, behaviour and professional reputation.

The Court described Public Prosecutors as the "gatekeepers of the criminal justice system" and said they play a crucial role in protecting the rights of victims.

Justice Pugalendhi also referred to the First Bench decision in V Vasanthakumar vs State of Tamil Nadu, which had directed the State to evolve objective criteria for appointing Law Officers. The Court observed that appointments should strictly adhere to those standards and be based on demonstrable professional ability, competence and integrity rather than extraneous considerations.

The Court further observed that a Public Prosecutor is not expected merely to file lengthy written objections but must effectively assist the Court by identifying and presenting the material facts relevant to the issue under consideration. Effective advocacy, it said, lies in clarity, brevity and highlighting the decisive facts rather than the volume of pleadings.

The judgment also reiterated that once the High Court is seized of a bail matter, subordinate courts should ordinarily avoid entertaining subsequent bail applications unless there is a substantial change in circumstances, emphasising the need to maintain judicial discipline and prevent conflicting orders.

The special services will be operated on July 31 (Friday), August 1 (Saturday), August 2 (Sunday), and August 3 (Aadi Perukku).

So far, 13,547 passengers travelling from Chennai and other cities to their native places have booked tickets. The number of reservations is expected to increase in the coming days.

From the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus in Kilambakkam, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, and Tirupur. A total of 420 buses will be operated on July 31, 330 buses on August 1, and 270 buses on August 2.

From the CMBT, Koyambedu, special buses will be operated to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur, and Bengaluru. 120 buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 55 buses will be operated on August 2. In addition, 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Erode, and Tirupur to various destinations.

From the Madhavaram bus terminus, special buses will be operated to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Polur, and Puducherry. Forty-five buses each will be operated on July 31 and August 1, while 50 buses will be operated on August 2.

To facilitate passengers returning to Chennai and Bengaluru from their hometowns, 420 special buses will also be operated from various parts of the State on August 2.

So far, 5,721 passengers have booked tickets for July 31, 2,396 passengers for August 1, and 5,430 passengers for August 2, taking the total number of advance bookings to 13,547. The number is expected to rise further in the coming days.

Additional officials have been deployed at major bus terminals to monitor the operation of the special services. Passengers can book their tickets in advance through the TNSTC mobile app or the www.tnstc.in website.

The deceased, Vinodini, from Bharathi Nagar in Erode, had separated from her husband from Tirupur owing to some differences, and was living with her four-year-old son in a house near her parents' residence over the last two years.

Police said Vinodini befriended Navaneethakrishnan (26) from Sayalgudi, near Kamuthi, in Ramanathapuram district, through Instagram. “Over a period of time, they developed an affair. However, their relationship did not last long as Vinodini started to distance herself from him in recent days, resulting in a confrontation,” police said.

On Monday night, Navaneethakrishnan came to her house and broke into a heated argument. In a fit of rage, he poured kerosene and set her ablaze. As flames engulfed her, Vinodini clung to the accused, causing him to sustain burn injuries as well. Hearing screams, neighbours rushed into the house, while the accused fled away from the spot.

Police said Vinodini was admitted to Erode GH with severe burns in a critical condition. In her dying declaration made before the Additional Mahila Court Judge, she stated that Navaneethakrishnan set her on fire.

Following her death, the Erode Taluk police registered a case of murder and traced Navaneethakrishnan to a private hospital in Karur, where he is undergoing treatment to burn injuries. He is likely to be arrested after treatment. Further investigations are on.

The collaboration will be led by IIT Madras' Centre of Tech Excellence, with support from a CSR grant by Walmart Global Tech.

The initiative aims to drive the digital empowerment of MSMEs operating in manufacturing, retail and allied sectors, according to a release issued on Wednesday.

The solutions developed through the collaboration will be low-cost and user-friendly, making them suitable for MSMEs that require accessible and scalable technologies without significant capital investment.

An MoU for the collaboration was signed between FaMe TN and IIT Madras.

The collaboration envisages the development of a state-level MSME Digital Readiness and Adoption Index to assess the digital maturity of MSMEs across Tamil Nadu as one of its key outcomes.

The initiative will support AI, digital transformation and Industry 4.0 adoption through digital readiness assessments, capacity-building programmes, technology demonstrations and implementation support.

It will facilitate the development, technology transfer and large-scale deployment of indigenous digital solutions, while establishing a collaborative government-academia-industry innovation ecosystem anchored at the Centre of Tech Excellence at IIT Madras.

Elaborating on the collaboration, Prof Raghunathan Rengaswamy of IIT Madras said, "This partnership aims to integrate AI-enabled workflows, shop-floor digitisation and Industry 4.0 tools into the day-to-day operations of MSMEs in Tamil Nadu."

"By focusing on practical, field-deployable technologies and on-ground interventions, the initiative seeks to enhance productivity, improve product quality and strengthen the global competitiveness of small and medium manufacturing units across sectors such as automotive, engineering and fabrication," he added.

With traffic congestion worsening along the Poonamallee High Road corridor, commuters have intensified their demand for the early inauguration of the line.

The Chief Minister later carried out an extensive inspection of the ongoing Phase II project, reviewing progress at key construction sites and directing officials to expedite the work while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.

As part of the visit, Vijay travelled by Metro from Government Estate station to Nandanam station to inspect the CMRL headquarters. During the Metro ride, he interacted with passengers on board, enquired about their travel experience and posed for selfies with a few commuters. A large number of passengers and members of the public gathered at Nandanam Metro station to catch a glimpse of the Chief Minister upon his arrival.

Officials briefed him on the Operation Control Centre (OCC), which will serve as the central command facility for monitoring and managing Metro operations. He also reviewed the progress of the three Phase II corridors and various technical and operational aspects of the project.

At Guindy Kathipara, Vijay inspected the elevated Metro construction from a height of 101 feet, where officials explained the engineering design, passenger amenities and specialised construction techniques being adopted to build viaducts in densely populated urban areas with minimal disruption.

The Chief Minister also reviewed last-mile connectivity initiatives aimed at ensuring seamless access between Metro stations and surrounding residential and commercial areas. Officials informed him that the Phase II network is being designed to operate with Unattended Train Operation (UTO) technology, enabling fully automated driverless train services equipped with advanced safety systems.

The Chief Minister's visit also led to temporary traffic disruptions. Overcrowding was reported at some Metro stations, while public gatherings in Porur and Guindy, along with security arrangements, resulted in congestion on surrounding roads.

Her escape and complaint have now led to the arrest of two men and opened an investigation into an alleged network that police believe lured vulnerable pregnant women from other states with promises of free accommodation and medical care before attempting to sell their babies after birth.

The Erattupetta Police arrested Muppili Raja (27), a native of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and K S Arjun (21) of Idukki district.

Both were taken into custody from a house at Theekkoy near Pala where the woman had earlier been staying. They were produced before a local court and remanded in judicial custody.

Police have also registered a case against a woman identified as Harshitha, while the investigation is continuing to trace others suspected to be part of the alleged racket.

According to the woman's complaint, she fled her home in Assam after facing sustained pressure from her husband to terminate her pregnancy, police said.

Already the mother of a one-and-a-half-year-old girl, she said her husband and family opposed her second pregnancy, forcing her to leave home in the hope of finding a place where she could safely continue the pregnancy and raise her child.

While in Delhi, she came across an Instagram account, which she believed belonged to a voluntary organisation. The account allegedly offered free accommodation and delivery expenses for pregnant women. Trusting the promise, she travelled to Kerala and reached Kottayam on July 16.

Police said Arjun, a hotel management student in Bengaluru, and Harshitha received the woman and took her to an isolated house surrounded by a rubber plantation at Theekkoy in this district.

Police said the property was being used as a guest house by Anitha, a private hospital nurse from Coimbatore, and her husband Raja, also known as Karthik.

According to the complaint, the woman realised something was wrong when she was allegedly told that her newborn baby would have to be handed over for Rs 3 lakh after delivery.

It was then, police said, that she understood she had been trapped by a group allegedly involved in selling newborn babies.

Her escape came with the help of an anganwadi teacher she met by chance. With the teacher's assistance, she reached the Erattupetta Police Station and narrated her ordeal.

She was later shifted to Santhwanam, a government-run shelter home in Gandhi Nagar near Kottayam town, where she is currently under care.

Police said preliminary investigation indicates that the accused may have links to a wider network involved in procuring newborn babies.

Investigators are examining the role of the Instagram account through which the woman was allegedly contacted, the financial transactions involved and whether other pregnant women were similarly targeted.

Officials are also trying to identify others who may have been part of the operation and determine whether the network has been active in other states.

The action follows a case filed in the High Court seeking a CBI probe, alleging inaction by CB-CID and noting that no arrests had been made when the petition was filed.

The arrested have been identified as Murugadas (56) of Villupuram district, who allegedly sold the land using forged documents; Vellaithurai (60) of Papankulam in Tirupur district and Sethupathi (72) of Pudur in Palani, who allegedly purchased the property; and advocate Anvardheen (65) of Palani, who is alleged to have facilitated the fraud.

They have been booked under Sections 318(4), 336(3), 340(2), 49 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The arrests came a day after former AIADMK MLA KSN Venugopal Senapathi moved the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court seeking a CBI probe into the case. In his petition, he alleged that the CB-CID had not made any arrests despite having taken over the investigation, and he expressed apprehension about the fairness of the probe, as the allegations involve sitting government officials.

According to police sources, four CB-CID teams searched houses and lodges in Palani and other places before securing the accused on Tuesday night. They were brought to the CB-CID office in Dindigul for questioning.

Senior CB-CID officials interrogated the four accused at the Dindigul office in the morning hours. After the interrogation, the police produced them before the Judicial Magistrate Court I, Dindigul. The magistrate remanded them in judicial custody until 12th August 2026. They were later lodged at the Madurai Central Prison.

The case pertains to the alleged fraudulent registration of the mutt's land on Sannathi Street in Palani for Rs 2 crore using forged documents. Based on a complaint lodged by Muruganandam, Superintendent of the Palani Temple Lands Division, the Palani Adivaram police registered a case against sub-registrar Justin Manikandan, trust functionary Murugadas, purchaser Vellaithurai, Sethupathi, and others, charging them with criminal conspiracy and cheating.

After the State government transferred the case to the CB-CID on July 15, more than 30 police personnel led by SP Shajitha and DSP Ajay Thangam have been conducting an intensive investigation in Dindigul and Palani.

As part of the probe, the CB-CID questioned more than 15 persons, including former temple Joint Commissioner Marimuthu, retired Tahsildar Mariyappan, retired Village Administrative Officer Chinnasamy and HR&CE Inspector Sivanesan.

Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court granted interim anticipatory bail to sub-registrar Justin Manikandan and directed him to appear daily at the CB-CID office in Dindigul from July 27 to August 3. He has been appearing before the investigating officers in compliance with the order.

In a related development, the original legal heirs of Kuppusamy Maniyakkarar, who had donated the land by gift deed to one Dhandapani Swamy in 1888 (with the objective of establishing a mutt), appeared before the CB-CID office in Dindigul on Tuesday evening in response to summons.

Sundari, her son Vishnu Sudarsan and daughter Jayalakshmi submitted the original title deed and other documents in their possession.

The police are also searching for a land broker and document writer from Oddanchatram who is suspected of being involved in the alleged fraud.

As part of the investigation, DVAC officials carried out simultaneous searches at 41 locations across the State, including 14 premises in Chennai and neighbouring districts.

Officials confirmed the registration of the case but did not provide further details on the allegations or the evidence gathered.

In Karur district, searches were conducted at Senthil Balaji's residence in Rameshwarapatti, the house of his assistant Subramani in Murthy Palayam, the residence of Karur DMK East Union Secretary Bhaskar in Koyampalli, and the homes of Ramesh and Karthik in Kothai Nagar. Officials also searched the TASMAC regional office at Thozhilpettai.

According to the DVAC, the investigation centres on allegations that Senthil Balaji and the other accused amassed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. The case also includes distillery companies that are alleged to have been linked to the suspected irregularities.

Search teams continued to examine documents, financial records and other materials from the identified locations as part of the probe.

It is said that M Vasanthi (52), a resident of Somarasampettai had recently met Irudayaraj (50) who told her that he has several contacts in Tiruchy court and would get her son a job there.

Trusting him, Vasanthi handed over a sum of Rs 5.30 lakh in several instalments from 2022 to 2025.

However, Irudayaraj failed to arrange the job and started threatening when she demanded the money. Subsequently, Vasanthi lodged a complaint and Tiruchy GH police commenced investigation.

Police said the girl Nanditha and younger brother were in the care of her grandmother Pannammal (65) at Kanjampalayam in Tirupur.

Her parents had separated following differences and the girl’s father remarried and settled elsewhere.

The girl was alone at home, while her brother was playing outside and her grandmother had gone to work. When Pannammal returned, she was shocked to find Nanditha hanging on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the girl was under distress due to family circumstances leading her to take the extreme step.

In separate corrigenda, TNSHA annulled the tenders floated on March 10 for all three packages of the project. It did not elaborate on the reasons or indicate when fresh bids would be invited.

The proposed greenfield corridor, to be developed under the public-private partnership model using the hybrid annuity mode, was planned as an extension of the Oragadam-Cheyyar industrial corridor.

The highway would originate at the under-construction Chennai Peripheral Ring Road at Valayankaranai and terminate at Manampathy on the Kancheepuram-Vandavasi State Highway.

The civic polls are linked to the seventh State Finance Commission to determine the financial distribution for local bodies and necessary preparations for the local body polls, including budget allocation, are tied to this assessment, the official said.

The state government had recently issued an order extending the tenure of the commission till December 31, 2026. The tenure was scheduled to expire on August 31. Hence, the civic polls are likely to be held in early 2027, it was pointed out.

The previous local body elections were held in a single phase on February 19, 2022 for municipal corporations, municipalities, and town panchayats. The elections to rural local bodies were held on December 27 and 30 in 2019 across 27 districts, and on October 6, 2021, in the remaining nine districts, including Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram, following delimitation.

In highly concentrated urban centres like Chennai, the boundaries remain frozen for now. Sources said the Greater Chennai Corporation’s plan to expand its limits to integrate adjacent panchayats such as Vanagaram and Adayalampattu have been put on hold. The delimitation exercise in the GCC areas has been postponed until the new national census is available.

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The association said that sections of departments such as Commercial Taxes, Home, and Registration have been functioning on the second and third floors of the 10-storey building, with the top floor proposed to be converted into the Chief Minister's Office.

"Due to this shift, the sections of these three departments will be relocated to conference halls and dining halls on various floors. This is not acceptable. Similarly, the proposal to shift the entire Home Department to the present Chief Minister's Office is also unacceptable due to space constraints," the association said.

Alleging that the Public Department, which is responsible for the maintenance of the Secretariat, did not consult the office-bearers of the association before taking a decision on the Namakkal Kavignar Maligai, the association expressed its dissatisfaction.

"The sudden relocation of offices will affect the preparatory work for the Budget. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu government should ensure adequate infrastructure and the safety of the officials and staff of the Secretariat before implementing the shift," the association said.

More than 100 teacher organisations and non-teaching staff unions presented their demands, grievances, and suggestions directly to the minister and senior department officials.

During the meeting, he said, “These associations raise issues about a particular unit that affect the department overall. We’ve taken into consideration most of the concerns, including their demand for chicken biryani once a week in noon meals. We’ll ensure that our support is extended to the teachers and the associations.”

Rajmohan also assured that the petitions and demands submitted by the associations would be digitised to enable tracking. Meanwhile, one of the major demands was to fill vacant teacher posts for elementary classes.

The protesting farmers, headed by the Tamil Nadu Sugarcane Production Association president P Ramasamy, said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay promised MSP of Rs 3,500 per quintal of paddy and Rs 4,500 per tonne of sugarcane during the election campaign, but the promise has not so far been fulfilled. They demanded that the MSP be as promised in the upcoming state budget.

Meanwhile, they pointed out that a special incentive of Rs 4,500 for paddy used to be released in October till the previous government, and the same should be followed by this government, and a GO should be released on this, they said.

They also demanded drought compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre to farmers and Rs 10,000 to agricultural labourers.

Later, they raised slogans in support of their demands with the sugarcane crops. General Secretary R Thirupathi and others took part in the protest.

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While it does not warn of fines unlike the Chennai Metro Rail that decided to slap a stiff fine of Rs 2,500, the government cautioned that such acts would be considered as misconduct.

In a circular, Transport Secretary L Nirmal Raj directed the managing directors of the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), State Express Transport Corporation (SETC), and all Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations to immediately implement passenger etiquette guidelines and create awareness among commuters.

Recently, CMRL decided to crack down on on-board noise with stricter penalties, announcing that passengers travelling on the Metro or waiting at stations could face a fine of up to Rs 2,500 for playing music or videos without headphones, using speaker mode, or creating disturbances.

The circular said drivers should ensure that loud music is not played inside buses, as mandated under Rule 5 (10) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017. It also cited Rule 228 of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, under which any act causing inconvenience or disturbance to fellow passengers is considered misconduct.

Passengers have been advised not to speak loudly on mobile phones throughout the journey, use speaker mode during calls, or play videos and songs without earphones or headphones. The circular said passengers should use wired or Bluetooth earphones or headphones so that their mobile phone use does not disturb others.

The government has also instructed transport corporations to paste awareness stickers measuring 24 cm x 16 cm inside all buses at the front entrance, centre, and rear entrance. The stickers will carry messages such as "No Speaker Mode. Please Use Earphones/Headphones", "Respect Other Passengers" and "Quiet Travel, Safe Travel".

The circular further directed drivers, conductors and supervisory staff to sensitise passengers about the guidelines during their shifts and ensure they are implemented across all State-run buses.

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The restructuring was notified through a Gazette published on Monday, following a Government Order issued by the Commercial Taxes, Registration and Religious Endowments Department on July 23. The two Additional Commissioner posts, headquartered in Chennai and Tiruchy, have been sanctioned in the senior scale of the IAS.

The revamp comes amid scrutiny over the management of religious and inam properties, following the recent Palani mutt land registration case and the controversy surrounding restrictions imposed on inam lands, including in Karur district.

Under the new arrangement, the Chennai-based Additional Commissioner will oversee the North Zone, comprising Chennai and several northern and western districts, including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Salem, Erode and Coimbatore. The Tiruchy-based officer will administer the South Zone, which includes Thanjavur, Madurai, Sivaganga, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.

The officers have been empowered to inspect temple properties and documents, approve budgets, procurement tenders and certain property leases, and supervise other administrative functions. They will also monitor revenue from temple lands, collection of contributions and audit fees, pending cases, implementation of the Integrated Temple Management System and removal of encroachments.

Orders passed by the Additional Commissioners within their delegated subjects will be deemed orders of the HR&CE Commissioner. However, policy decisions and matters having implications for religious institutions across Tamil Nadu must be referred to the Commissioner.

In a representation addressed to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the association said that teachers appointed before June 1, 2009, continued to receive a higher basic pay than those recruited after that date, despite both groups performing identical duties and possessing the same qualifications.

According to SSTA, the anomaly arose during the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission, when the revised pay fixation resulted in post-2009 recruits starting with a lower basic pay. The association said that the disparity, initially amounting to Rs 3,170 in basic pay, had widened over the years due to annual increments and periodic pay revisions, affecting nearly 27,000 teachers across TN. It has appealed to the government to implement ‘equal pay for equal work’ by removing the disparity.

In a separate memorandum submitted to the director, the SSTA has sought several reforms for the private education sector. It demanded strict enforcement of the norms prescribed under the TN Private Schools Regulation Act and that schools functioning without adequate infrastructure or recognition not be allowed to admit students.

It also urged the department to ensure that teachers were not forced to handle non-teaching duties and that only qualified teachers were appointed for pre-primary classes such as LKG and UKG.

The SSTA also called for transparent fee regulation, timely approval of teacher appointments, the provision of essential learning materials such as tables, books and dictionaries to students, and strict implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. It sought a limit of 25 students per section in LKG and UKG classes and recommended that schools maintain a teacher-student ratio of one teacher for every 7.5 students at the primary level to improve the quality of education.

Sources said that investigators questioned the brothers based on statements recorded from the 14 accused who already were arrested in the case. During the questioning, which has been happening for the past three days, officials sought clarifications regarding financial transactions after examining information that raised suspicions of possible hawala transactions linked to the investigation.

The case pertains to the complaint by N Elaiyaraja, TVK MLA from Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district, to the Chennai police commissioner on June 29 stating that he was approached by a man, identified as Thirunavukkarasu, offering to pay Rs 35 crore to vote against the Speaker.

Two weeks ago, Senthilbalaji wrote to the Triplicane police questioning the need for his appearance as his name is not featured in the FIR in the alleged MLA poaching attempt case and that he has not absconded.

Police sources said that the letter was sent in response to a summons issued by the Triplicane police directing Senthilbalaji to appear for an inquiry. Initially, Thirunavukkarasu and two others were arrested. The Chennai police alleged that the arrested persons acted on behalf of Senthilbalaji and his brother Ashok Kumar. A meeting in this regard was held at a star hotel in the city, the police said.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and S Sakthivel while hearing a petition filed by Narmadha of Gomathipuram in Madurai.

The petitioner submitted that several women employed in private establishments in Tamil Nadu continue to work despite suffering severe menstrual pain and that the State does not have a policy providing paid menstrual leave. Seeking directions to the government, she urged the court to constitute a State-level committee to examine the feasibility of introducing paid menstrual leave and formulate a policy in the interest of women's health and welfare.

The Bench directed the government to furnish details of the members of the committee constituted for framing the rules and adjourned the case by two weeks.

Anbumani on Tuesday alleged that the Centre was supporting Karnataka in the Mekedatu dam issue by stating that Tamil Nadu's approval was not required for the project, calling it a "dangerous conspiracy" against the interests of the State.

Citing previous assurances by former Union ministers Uma Bharti and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat that Karnataka could not proceed without Tamil Nadu's consent, Anbumani accused both the BJP-led Centre and the Congress government in Karnataka of acting against Tamil Nadu's interests.

In a statement, Anbumani referred to a written reply by Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Raj Bhushan Choudhary in the Rajya Sabha to a question raised by him. According to the minister's response, the Supreme Court's February 16, 2026 judgment on the Cauvery dispute does not state that Karnataka must obtain the consent of Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Puducherry before undertaking any construction across the Cauvery river.

Rejecting the interpretation, Anbumani argued that the Centre had selectively quoted the judgment while ignoring the continuing validity of the 1892 and 1924 agreements between the Madras and Mysore governments, which, he said, require prior consent from the downstream State before constructing new reservoirs or anicuts.

He further claimed that the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal's final award did not permit new irrigation projects beyond those already recognised and questioned how the Union government could now claim Tamil Nadu's approval was unnecessary. He also demanded an immediate all-party meeting to decide the State's next legal and political course of action.

The decision was taken at the CWRC meeting held in New Delhi on Tuesday, despite objections from Karnataka citing drought-like conditions. The committee directed Karnataka to ensure the release of 4 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water to Tamil Nadu at the rate of 3,500 cusecs per day for 15 days.

After hearing submissions from both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and taking into account the live storage levels in reservoirs of the two riparian states and the anticipated worsening El Niño conditions, the committee directed Karnataka to maintain a flow of 3,500 cusecs at Biligundlu from 8 am on July 29 for a period of 15 days.

The order comes amid efforts to resolve the long-standing Cauvery water-sharing dispute, with talks expected between the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

During the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) meeting held on June 22, Karnataka had declined Tamil Nadu's request to release water as per the Supreme Court's final award, citing deficient rainfall and drought-like conditions, particularly in and around Bengaluru.

Despite Karnataka's objections, the CWRC has now ordered the release of water, offering relief to Delta farmers who have already been affected during the kuruvai season.

"The rights of the farmers of Tamil Nadu have been discarded from consideration by the BJP-led central government for electoral gains in Karnataka," Annamalai said in a statement.

Contrasting the statement with the Centre's earlier stand, he cited then Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's statement in Parliament on August 5, 2021. Shekhawat, Annamalai said, had stated that Karnataka's permission to prepare a Detailed Project Report was conditional and that consent of lower riparian States was mandatory under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act for constructing a dam across an inter-State river.

"Why is the Central Government now suddenly making a U-turn on the position it had already taken?" Annamalai asked.

He urged the Centre not to take the people of Tamil Nadu for granted or unnecessarily strain the brotherly relationship between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The privatisation will be limited to corporations and municipalities. Sources from the Department of Prohibition and Excise have confirmed the government decision and that necessary legal amendments on Prohibition and Excise Act will be tabled in the ensuing Assembly Session.

The move is largely being read as the beginning of the State government’s intention to close down all Tasmac shops across Tamil Nadu. Once the plan is put into action, around 2,500 shops, including bars, will be operated by private players.

The State has been operating liquor stores for 23 years. It was in the year 2003, during the AIADMK regime, that the government had decided to take over the business of operations of retail liquor shops.

"After the privatisation of shops in urban local bodies, the government wouldn't have to face allegations of excess MRP on bottles. The government will collect a licence fee from private players. This model is based on the one that is followed in neighbouring states like Puducherry, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh," an official said.

Tasmac operates 4,048 retail liquor outlets across the State. It is the largest revenue-generating component of the State government. According to the Excise and Prohibition Policy note for 2025-26, the state earned Rs 48,344 crore through excise duty and value-added tax (VAT) on liquor sales during 2024-25. This year, the corporation is eyeing more revenue from the additional levy imposed on liquor suppliers.

Meanwhile, the state government is set to explore various revenue streams to meet the shortcoming that the liquor shop privatisation may bring about.

The direction was given during a virtual meeting of the party's legislators, attended by 56 of the 59 DMK MLAs. Party whip EV Velu welcomed the members before Udhayanidhi addressed the legislators.

According to party sources, the Leader of the Opposition instructed MLAs to focus on issues affecting their respective constituencies as well as matters of State-wide importance during the Assembly proceedings. He also advised members to move special mentions and adjournment motions on pressing public issues to ensure they receive the government's attention.

The meeting, which lasted for around 15 to 20 minutes, also discussed the party's strategy for the Budget Session and the role of legislators in effectively highlighting public concerns on the floor of the House.

The TVK-led government is scheduled to present its maiden State Budget in the Assembly on August 5, followed by the Agriculture Budget on August 6.

According to a Government Order issued by Public Works Department (PWD) Secretary R Selvaraj, the committee will be headed by PWD Chief Engineer E Senthil.

The committee comprises Anna University Professor S Karthikeyan, Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) Superintending Engineer TR Rajan Babu, Directorate of Town and Country Planning Additional Director P Ranganathan, Greater Chennai Corporation Chief Engineer S Rajeswari, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department senior engineer AG Sethuraman, and senior engineer A Kuttalingam. Law Department Deputy Secretary M Jeevanantham will oversee the legal aspects of the proposed legislation.

The government said the State currently does not have a separate law to regulate professional civil engineers or protect their professional practice and livelihood. The committee has been tasked with exploring the formulation of dedicated legislation to address the gap.