A resident of Mettur in Salem district, Padmarajan filed his nomination for the 256th time. Since 1988, he has filed nominations for parliamentary, assembly and local-body elections, often taking on prominent political leaders.

“My only objective is to have my name featured in the Guinness World Records and the Limca Book of Records. I have never been driven by the desire to win an election,” he said to the media after filing his nomination.

The nomination process began at the Revenue Divisional Officer’s (RDO) office in Dharapuram on Wednesday. As part of security arrangements, barricades were erected around the premises and restrictions imposed to prevent crowding and maintain law and order. Armed police personnel were deployed at the RDO office to ensure that the nomination process proceeded peacefully.

Around 6 am, forest personnel checking the cages placed at an estate in O' Valley heard a loud growl in one of them. Suspecting that the tiger had been trapped, they approached the cage and were surprised to find an agitated leopard inside.

“We approached the cage suspecting that a tiger had been trapped. To our surprise, there was a leopard inside. Around 13 cages have been placed at various vulnerable locations to trap the tiger,” a forest department official said.

The leopard was subsequently tranquilised, shifted to another cage and transported to a deep forest area in Ambulimala, where it was released safely.

The forest department has intensified efforts to capture the tiger suspected of attacking and killing two people in the O' Valley area on August 8 and August 21. In both cases, the animal had partially consumed the bodies after the attacks.

As part of intensified search operations, multiple teams continued their combing operations and monitored the animal's movements with around 189 camera traps installed across the Gudalur Forest Division.

Meanwhile, the department is also continuing efforts to capture another tiger that has been frequently sighted near residential areas in Nambalakkottai and Vimalagiri in Gudalur. Trap cages and camera traps have been deployed in these areas to track and capture the animal.

In a statement, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief highlighted the findings of the inquiry commission, which investigated the deaths of 70 people after they consumed illicit liquor in Kallakurichi between June 17 and June 20, 2024.

He said the commission's report, recently tabled in the Legislative Assembly, concluded that the tragedy was primarily caused by the failure of officials to discharge their duties properly.

According to the report, which was prepared after the commission examined 433 people in connection with the illicit liquor trade, the failure of successive governments to effectively implement the prohibition policy since 1971 had contributed to widespread alcohol addiction, he said.

"The substantial price difference between legal TASMAC liquor and illicit brew forced poor and vulnerable sections to turn to cheap bootleg alcohol, resulting in the loss of many lives," he claimed.

On the commission's welfare recommendations, Tagore noted that while the previous government had provided Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the families of the victims, the state government must now extend humanitarian assistance to children who lost their fathers.

He urged the government to provide these children with food, housing, educational assistance and government jobs.

Tagore emphasised that long-term social relief for the people of Tamil Nadu could be achieved only by swiftly freeing the state from the grip of alcohol addiction.

The commission of inquiry held officials of the Prohibition and Excise Department responsible for the tragedy, along with police officers of the rank of sub-inspector, inspector and deputy superintendent of police posted at regular police stations in Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram and Kachirapalayam, and officers of the Prohibition Enforcement Wing in Kallakurichi and Tirukovilur.

A Chennai Central–Podanur special will leave Chennai Central at 11.50 pm on September 11 and reach Podanur at 9 am the following day.

The return service will leave Podanur at 11.30 pm on September 14 and reach Chennai Central at 9.25 am

Another special train will connect Tambaram with Tenkasi. It will leave Tambaram at 7.30 pm on September 11 and reach Tenkasi at 6.15 am on September 12.

The return service will originate from Sengottai at 3 pm on September 14 and reach Tambaram at 3.20 am the next day.

The Tambaram–Tenkasi special will stop at Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Vriddhachalam, Ariyalur, Srirangam, Tiruchy, Dindigul, Madurai, Virudhunagar, Sivakasi, Srivilliputhur, Rajapalayam, Sankarankovil and Kadayanallur, besides Tenkasi.

Both services will operate one trip in each direction. Advance reservation will open at 8 am on September 10.

Sources said that, on Tuesday (September 8), a video of collecting an additional amount of Rs 10 per bottle surfaced on social media and customers were seen complaining about the collection of additional cost at a Tasmac outlet functioning at Kurichi near Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur (Shop No 8069) and demanded action against the employees.

After the video went viral, the Tasmac district manager Aishwarya conducted an inquiry and confirmed that the employees of the particular outlet were collecting an extra amount of Rs 10 per bottle.

Subsequently, the supervisors Senthil Kumar, Sekar and Saravanan and the salesmen Durai Prakash, Mathiyazhagan and Veerasamy.

Meanwhile, the officials found that the employees of the particular outlet had deployed an outsider who was identified as Manickan Sarath Kumar (25) from Kumbakonam for the collection of extra costs.

Based on the complaint by the district manager, Panthanallur police registered a case and arrested Sarath Kumar.

From Kilambakkam terminus, 585 special buses will be operated on Thursday, 1,255 on Friday, 1,030 on Saturday and 650 on Sunday to Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode and Tirupur.

From Koyambedu, 240 special buses each will operate on Friday and Saturday, and 105 on Sunday, to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur and Bengaluru. Services will also be operated from these destinations towards Chennai. Another 200 special buses will be operated from Bengaluru, Tirupur, Erode and Coimbatore to various destinations.

From Madhavaram terminus, 110 special buses will be operated each day from Friday to Sunday to Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchy, Kumbakonam, Vellore, Hosur and Puducherry. To facilitate the return journey to Chennai and Bengaluru on Monday, 765 special buses will be operated from various locations based on passenger demand.

According to the Managing Director of the State Express Transport Corporation, 8,666 passengers have booked tickets for Thursday, 32,171 for Friday, 18,772 for Saturday, 11,177 for Sunday and 23,740 for Monday. The numbers are expected to increase further.

Long-distance passengers have been advised to book their tickets in advance through www.tnstc.in or the TNSTC mobile app to avoid overcrowding.

The district administration had suspended coracle rides on August 16 after the inflow at Biligundlu, the entry point of the Cauvery into Tamil Nadu, surged following heavy rains in the river’s catchment areas in Karnataka.

The inflow stood at around 5,000 cusecs at 6 am on Wednesday and declined further subsequently. Taking note of the receding water flow, Dharmapuri Collector V Saravanan ordered the lifting of the ban on coracle rides.

The resumption brought relief to tourists who thronged Hogenakkal.

Visitors enjoyed coracle rides with family and friends and took baths at the waterfalls and designated stretches of the river.

Meanwhile, the water level at the Mettur dam has also begun to decline following the drop in inflow.

As of 8 am on Wednesday, the reservoir level stood at 91.28 feet, against its full reservoir level of 120 feet.

The inflow was recorded at 3,718 cusecs, while 12,400 cusecs were being released from the dam for irrigation in the Cauvery Delta.

He alleged that the government had failed to release Cauvery water on time for kuruvai cultivation, and so the farmers were unable to take up the cultivation.

He also accused the government of failing to fulfil its promise of complete waiver of farm loans.

He noted that the government had claimed that it would restore law and order, but crime incidents continued to increase.

EPS alleged that the lack of administration and inexperience has affected the administration.

He pointed out that though he had raised the issue of delay in paddy procurement during the previous Assembly session, the government failed to take suitable action.

He also alleged that thousands of paddy bags brought to centres in Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, as well as Cuddalore and Erode, were not procured and were damaged by rain.

He urged the government to immediately procure the entire stock and protect farmers from further losses.

The court issued the direction on a petition filed by Kadhir of Othakadai, Madurai, seeking directions to identify the families of soldiers who died while on duty in 14 districts, including Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga, and expedite the provision of welfare benefits and compassionate employment to their families.

KR Raja of Madurai filed a PIL before the Madurai Bench seeking affordable and equitable telephone and video-call facilities for prisoners in Tamil Nadu prisons.

He sought directions to reduce the telephone charges collected from prisoners and fix a reasonable tariff in line with market rates.

He also sought free telephone facilities for poor, elderly, mentally ill and differently abled prisoners, free communication with lawyers for legal consultation, and constitution of an expert committee to review prison communication policies.

It was also submitted that prisoners were being charged Rs. 28 for 10 minutes of telephone usage, amounting to Rs. 280 per month.

The police identified the deceased as Deepakumar Borde, a native of Chhattisgarh, who was working as a teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Ooty. He was living with his family in government residential quarters.

Preliminary inquiries revealed that Deepakumar, who was already struggling with mounting debts, had recently turned to online gaming in the hope of making quick money to clear his liabilities.

However, he suffered substantial losses, leaving him with debts running into several lakhs of rupees.

Police said, “As Deepakumar continued to play online games despite the losses, his wife had advised him not to risk losing any more money. He subsequently ended his life by hanging at the residence on Tuesday.”

His body was sent to his native place after a post-mortem examination at a government hospital.

The Pudumund police have registered a case and are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

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Transport Commissioner Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan, in an affidavit filed before a Division Bench comprising Justice CV Karthikeyan and Justice Sakthivel, stated that the State government had constituted a seven-member committee headed by Joint Transport Commissioner Pon Senthilnathan, with a data analyst from IIT Madras/Anna University as one of its members.

The committee has been tasked with studying vehicle categories, fare structures, practices in other States, dynamic pricing, pooling services, aggregator-driver agreements and monitoring mechanisms, and recommending a fair and transparent fare regime for incorporation into the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicle Aggregator Rules, 2025.

The affidavit stated that after receiving the expert committee’s report, the State government would take a policy decision and finalise the appropriate regulatory framework in accordance with the applicable statutory provisions and the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025.

It added that a comprehensive statement containing the details and the government’s decision would thereafter be placed before the court.

The State government filed the response pursuant to the court’s direction at the previous hearing of a petition filed by Naveen Kumar of Madurai, who sought a legal framework for bike-taxi services in the State.

The petitioner submitted that digital platform-based bike-taxi services such as Rapido, Ola and Uber were increasing in Tamil Nadu.

However, the State did not have any policy or rules to regulate these services, he stated.

He further contended that bike-taxi services could not operate independently like autorickshaws and rental cars.

The VCK leader’s remarks came amid criticism of Vijay’s gestures, which were seen as mocking DMK president and former Chief Minister MK Stalin.

The criticism had earlier been voiced by CPM state secretary P Shanmugam on September 7, who said it was irresponsible for the Chief Minister to mock Stalin, who was subjected to police brutality during the Emergency.

“History knows that major struggles were held across India to protect democracy during the Emergency, followed by repression and excesses. During the Emergency, former Chief Minister MK Stalin was severely assaulted by the police and his jaw was fractured. Whoever speaks in a manner that mocks his appearance deserves condemnation. For the Chief Minister himself to have done so is irresponsible,” Shanmugam had said.

Vijay subsequently clarified that his body language while replying to the police demands on September 7 was spontaneous and had no ulterior motive.

He said it should not be interpreted as an act intended to hurt anyone personally.

Thirumavalavan, however, said the clarification did not alter the VCK’s position that such body language was not a dignified approach.

“Reducing or hurting a person’s self-respect under any circumstances is not civilised. Political criticism of an individual is different from criticism that personally hurts a person’s dignity,” he said.

He said even an ordinary person without social, economic or political power should not be subjected to an approach that could hurt his dignity.

“Respecting elders in the Assembly is one of the highest forms of human dignity. Therefore, it would be appropriate for the Chief Minister, who holds a position of great responsibility, to be extremely careful about his body language in the future,” Thirumavalavan said.

He also criticised remarks made by the Law Minister during a discussion on the following day, when the DMK sought the removal of certain portions of the Chief Minister’s speech from the Assembly records.

Thirumavalavan described the minister’s remarks concerning the MISA period and the DMK leadership as a “historical error”.

“The nature of State repression during the MISA period is known to the entire country. Recording completely erroneous views about the DMK president, who was subjected to that brutal repression, is condemnable,” he said.

Thirumavalavan urged the Law Minister to announce the withdrawal of the remarks.

The meeting, which began at 4 pm, was chaired by Chief Minister and TVK leader Vijay.

The alliance partners discussed the formation and functioning of the new political front led by TVK.

Vijay was also chosen as the leader of the alliance during the meeting.

Parties supporting TVK government

TVK had contested the 2026 Assembly elections independently and emerged as the single largest party with 108 seats. However, it fell short of the majority mark required to form the government on its own.

The party subsequently formed the government with the support of parties that were earlier part of the DMK-led alliance, including the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Left parties.

While VCK and IUML are part of the TVK Cabinet, the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] have extended support to the government from outside.

The move to consolidate the supporting parties under a new alliance follows an initial consultative meeting held on July 1 at a private resort in Kovalam, Chennai.

Congress, VCK, MDMK and IUML representatives attended the first meeting, while CPI and CPI(M) stayed away as they had decided to extend only external support to the TVK government.

The second round of consultations was convened to take forward discussions on the proposed alliance and strengthen coordination among the parties supporting the government.

Communists parties skips the meeting

Senior TVK functionaries and ministers, including Anand, had invited representatives of the Congress, VCK, MDMK, CPI and CPI(M) for Wednesday’s meeting. Aadhav Arjuna and Nirmal Kumar had also personally extended invitations.

However, both CPI and CPI(M) announced that they would skip the meeting.

Representatives of the other parties attended the discussions. Congress leader Manickam Tagore, MP Praveen Chakravarty, Congress Legislative Party leader Tharahai Cuthbert, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, MP Durai Vaiko, IUML leader Kader Mohideen, Minister Shahjahan, VCK leader Thirumavalavan, MP Ravikumar and Sinthanai Selvan were among those present.

The alliance’s name, ‘Secular Social Justice Winning Alliance’, was announced at the meeting, marking a formal step towards consolidating the parties supporting the TVK-led government.

The party has invited applications from members aspiring to contest the two seats and asked them to submit their applications at the AIADMK headquarters by 6 pm on Thursday. The candidates are likely to be finalised and announced within the next two to three days.

Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama, who had won the Maduranthakam and Dharapuram seats respectively, were among six AIADMK MLAs who resigned and joined TVK following differences within the party after the assembly election results. The Election Commission has now announced by-elections for both constituencies.

The AIADMK has decided to approach all parties that were part of its alliance during the assembly election and seek their support. As part of the exercise, AIADMK leaders met BJP state president Nainar Nagendran on Tuesday and sought the BJP's support for the by-elections.

On Wednesday, former ministers Dindigul C Srinivasan and KP Munusamy met New Justice Party leader AC Shanmugam on behalf of the AIADMK and sought his party's support.

The AIADMK is also planning to approach the PMK and TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK. Meetings with their leaders are expected to be held soon.

Meanwhile, the party leadership has decided to give preference to senior functionaries and influential local leaders with a strong support base while selecting candidates for the two constituencies.

Notably absent were the leaders of the Left parties. Both the CPI(M) and the CPI, which support the government, have skipped the meeting at TVK headquarters in Panaiyur.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President B Manickam Tagore, the grand old party's Rajya Sabha member and Assembly floor leader, Praveen Chakravarthy and Tharahai Cuthbert respectively have taken part in the meeting.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam top leaders Vaiko and his son Durai, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan, and Indian Union Muslim League leaders KM Kader Mohideen, AM Shahjahan and Syed Farooq Basha were among the participants.

The agenda for Wednesday's meeting, the second major gathering since the post-poll coalition formed the government, focuses on formalising the alliance structure.

Key discussions are expected to centre on drafting a Common Minimum Programme, setting up a steering committee, naming a convener and finalising an official name for the bloc.

Citing a recent global medical study published in "The Lancet Public Health", Anbumani highlighted that passive smoking claimed 3,25,600 lives in India in 2023 alone and that represents a 49.56 per cent increase compared to 1990, when 2,17,700 deaths were recorded.

According to the study, mortality rates due to secondhand smoke rose by 61.74 per cent among men and 38.35 per cent among women. While the population exposed to passive smoking grew by only 18.40 per cent from 37.50 crore to 44.40 crore, the nearly 50 per cent jump in fatalities underscores the severity of the hazard.

"The primary reason for this alarming trend is the failure to curb public smoking. Innocent non-smokers, particularly women and children, suffer severe health consequences due to the irresponsible actions of others," Anbumani said in a statement.

Reflecting on his tenure as Union Health Minister (2004–2009), the PMK leader recalled overcoming strong opposition to enact the law banning public smoking, which took effect on October 2, 2008.

"While the Central Government enacted the legislation, he stressed that state governments bear the primary duty of enforcement", he added.

Criticizing the state's relaxed approach, the PMK leader pointed out that Tamil Nadu authorities booked only 3.89 lakh violators and collected Rs 6.83 crore in fines over a 15-and-a-half-year period (October 2, 2008, to March 31, 2024).

"This averages out to just 68 violations cited per day across the state, with an average fine of Rs 177 per offender", he said adding that the Health Department's latest policy note omitted enforcement data post April 2024, raising doubts about the government's commitment to implementing the law.

Claiming that the medical experts warn that secondhand smoke poses identical hazards to direct smoking, he said, "inhaled nicotine accumulates in blood vessels supplying the brain and heart, leading to conditions such as heart disease, stroke, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and diabetes".

"Central and state governments must not allow innocent individuals especially the 1.56 lakh women dying annually from passive smoke to pay with their lives. State governments, including Tamil Nadu, must enforce the public smoking ban with utmost rigor," Anbumani asserted.

In this connection, officials have installed about 51 LED screens at the Puthu Mandapam control centre to monitor the entire temple premises from a single location, manage crowd congestion, and identify suspicious persons.

“Over 200 advanced CCTV cameras and Face Recognition System (FRS) cameras have been installed across the temple premises and surrounding areas to ensure the safety of the devotees,” said AG Inigo Thiyan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Madurai City, to DT Next.

Madurai District Collector Nishant Krishna and City Police Commissioner Rajendran, IPS, inspected the control room and CCTV monitoring centre set up at Puthu Mandapam on Wednesday. During the inspection, they reviewed the quality of CCTV footage, recording capabilities and coordination among security personnel.

“As lakhs of devotees are expected to attend the event, we need to ensure their safety. As people would be witnessing the Kumbabishekam from the four major streets around the temple, property offenders could use this opportunity to steal their valuables. Hence, we have installed FRS to identify them,” he said.

The city police have already prepared a list of property offenders along with their criminal antecedents and uploaded their photographs to the computer system. “If the offenders are seen roaming in the streets, the FRS will immediately match their faces and alert the police. We will immediately secure them,” said Inigo Thiyan.

“For the next eight days, 160 officials from 10 key departments, including the Police Department, Madurai Corporation, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and Revenue Department, will be deployed on a shift basis at the control room for 24x7 surveillance,” said the officer.

More than 300 walkie-talkies will be provided to personnel so that information relating to security, crowd management, emergency drinking water and sanitation can be immediately communicated to the control room for necessary action, said a senior revenue officer.

“For instance, if there is a shortage of drinking water, it will be immediately communicated from the control room to Corporation officials, and the issue will be resolved immediately,” he said.

LED screens will also be installed at major crowded locations, including Periyar Bus Stand and Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand, to provide devotees with a live telecast of the consecration ceremony.

The district administration said that all security and precautionary arrangements were being made on a full scale to ensure that devotees could participate in the Kumbabishekam safely and peacefully.

In a statement, Stalin said I Paranthamen, the legal wing joint secretary and a DMK spokesperson, would contest from the Madurantakam constituency.

It may be recalled that Paranthamen was the Egmore MLA from 2021 to 2026, but was denied a ticket in the Assembly election early this year. After the drubbing that the party received in the polls, he had issued an open statement criticising senior leader PK Sekarbabu, and had urged the party leadership to take corrective action. However, he has also remained a staunch loyalist, and the ticket seems to be a reward for that.

Stalin also announced S Suganya, a newcomer, as the party’s candidate for the Dharapuram Assembly constituency, the second seat that is going to polls on October 6.

Interestingly, Stalin said the candidates were announced with the support of the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), though the coalition is now reduced to only a handful of minor partners after its key partners – Congress, CPM, CPI, VCK, and IUML – have broken away and are backing Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK.

When will the 2 TN bypolls be held?

Madurantakam and Dharapuram constituencies fell vacant following the resignation of sitting AIADMK MLAs K Maragatham Kumaravel and P Sathyabama, who then joined the ruling TVK. They are likely to be fielded by the ruling party, though the TVK is yet to formally announce its candidates.

The bypolls are politically significant as they will be the first electoral test for the three-month-old TVK government. The Election Commission has fixed October 6 as polling day, with counting scheduled for October 9. The nomination process begins on September 9 and ends on September 16.

The Madurantakam constituency has 2,11,295 voters, including 1,03,943 men, 1,07,288 women and 64 third-gender voters. The Model Code of Conduct has already come into force in the constituency.

When will bypolls be held for 5 other TN seats?

The two seats are among seven vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Assembly. The EC, however, has not announced polls for Tiruchy East, Ambasamudram, Viralimalai, Perundurai, and Karur, where election-related cases concerning the returned candidates are pending. The restraint on holding by-elections in these five constituencies has been extended till September 8.

(With inputs from Bureau)

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the scheme is now expected to be launched on Friday (September 25) at a government hospital in Usilampatti, Madurai district.

Why was the Thaimaaman Gold Ring Scheme announced?

CM Vijay had announced the scheme on June 23 with the aim of increasing the number of children born in government hospitals. He had said it would be launched on September 15, the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister CN Annadurai.

Children born in government hospitals from June 22 would be eligible, with their maternal uncles to present them with a one-gram, 22-carat gold ring.

How many gold rings have been ordered for the scheme?

The government has allocated Rs 755.83 crore in the budget for the scheme for the next one year and placed an order for 4,41,667 gold rings. Joyalukkas has secured 70 per cent of the contract to supply the rings, while Kalyan Jewellers has secured the remaining 30 per cent.

Why is the September 15 launch unlikely?

With only five days remaining for the proposed launch, the scheme is unlikely to begin on September 15, reportedly because Vijay is scheduled to leave for London on Thursday to attract business investments. He will travel from Chennai to Dubai and then proceed to London.

When is the Thaimaaman gold ring scheme likely to be launched?

Chief Minister Joseph Vijay is expected to return to Chennai from London on the night of September 16. In view of this, the Thaimaaman Gold Ring Scheme is reportedly likely to be launched on September 25 at a government hospital in Usilampatti, Madurai district.

The Usilampatti location is said to have been chosen as the custom of giving Thaimaaman Seer is popular in the area.

However, the move has drawn opposition from devotees, who said the additional process would further increase their waiting time, according to a Daily Thanthi report. Devotees already have to wait around two to three hours for darshan, and they said they now have to spend nearly another half an hour depositing their phones and about 30 minutes collecting them after darshan.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department had banned devotees from carrying mobile phones into 58 temples under its control in Tamil Nadu. Under the new arrangement, which came into effect on September 1, devotees can deposit their phones at designated counters before entering the temples.

At Tiruttani, the fifth of the six abodes of Lord Murugan, a counter was set up for this purpose, with a fee of Rs 5 being charged for each phone. Following strong protests from devotees, the counter was closed last weekend, and devotees were allowed to switch off their phones and carry them inside the temple.

The counter has now been reopened, but without any fee. Devotees, however, have expressed dissatisfaction over the time spent at the counter and urged the authorities to find a more convenient arrangement.

Instead, he demanded the creation of an integrated administrative city spanning 500 to 1,000 acres outside the state capital to meet governance needs for the next century.

Reacting to media reports suggesting that the proposed Rs 1,200 crore, 20-lakh square feet Secretariat and Legislative Assembly complex announced by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay would come up on a 26.36-acre parcel of land in Pattinapakkam, Anbumani, in a statement, termed the move "shortsighted."

"While the need for a modern Secretariat in Tamil Nadu is beyond dispute, establishing it at Pattinapakkam will cause more harm than good," PMK leader said.

He cited severe traffic congestion along Santhome High Road and Greenways Road, which are already heavily strained despite the construction of a loop road.

Adding a massive government complex near densely populated hubs, major schools, and the Santhome Church would choke traffic in the area, he warned.

The former union minister further pointed out that 26.36 acres would be grossly inadequate once mandatory FSI compliance, green space allocation, fire stations, emergency medical units, parking facilities, and public transit links are accounted for.

"Building it on a restricted plot will inevitably replicate the current space constraints within a few years," he noted.

Highlighting Vijay's stated vision that the new complex should serve the state’s needs for the next 100 years, the PMK chief argued that global and historical precedents favor relocating administrative hubs to dedicated greenfield locations.

Anbumani urged the government to acquire at least 500 to 1,000 acres outside Chennai to build a self-contained administrative city.

The proposed township, he suggested, should house the Secretariat, Legislative Assembly, departmental headquarters, residences for the Chief Minister, Ministers, and civil servants, as well as Metro connectivity, helipads, schools, colleges, sports arenas, and commercial complexes.

There were reports of him rescheduling his European trip in view of the planned visit of the Malaysian PM to Chennai. However, sources said that the CM had decided to go ahead with his London trip as per plan. 

According to sources, the Chief Minister will leave Chennai at around 10 pm on September 10 by an Emirates passenger flight and travel to London via Dubai.

During his stay in London, Vijay is expected to hold meetings with leading businessmen and representatives of industries from Europe. He is likely to invite industrialists to establish new ventures in Tamil Nadu and explore opportunities for increased investments in the State.

The visit is expected to focus primarily on attracting industrial investments and promoting Tamil Nadu as a major destination for new businesses and manufacturing ventures.

After completing his engagements in London, the Chief Minister is scheduled to return to Chennai on September 16 by an Emirates flight via Dubai. He is expected to arrive at Chennai airport at around 8.30 pm.

The trip will be Vijay's first foreign visit after assuming office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and is also significant as he will be travelling abroad from Chennai on a commercial passenger flight.

Airport and other government officials have reportedly begun making extensive arrangements in connection with the Chief Minister's departure and return.

Officials from the Industries and Finance departments are also expected to be part of the delegation accompanying the Chief Minister. Some of the officials may leave for London ahead of Vijay to make advance arrangements and coordinate meetings with potential investors.

The Chief Minister's visit is being closely watched as it marks his first overseas trip since taking charge and is expected to provide an opportunity for the State government to engage directly with international investors and explore fresh investment opportunities for Tamil Nadu.

The 484-page final report of the commission, constituted by the then DMK government to investigate the circumstances leading to the tragedy, was tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.

According to the report, more than 231 people consumed illegally brewed liquor, which was allegedly mixed with methanol, between June 17 and 20, 2024, in areas under the Kallakurichi, Sankarapuram and Kachirapalayam police station limits. A total of 70 people died, while 161 were taken ill.

The commission examined 433 witnesses, including 157 survivors who suffered serious or minor health complications, and 69 relatives of the deceased.

The commission said though methanol was not a narcotic, it was misused by unscrupulous traders for commercial purposes and called for strict regulations on its purchase, storage and sale.

Though methanol had been brought under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act in 2002, after a series of hooch tragedies, continuous monitoring by Prohibition and Excise officials could have exposed its illegal possession and sale, the report said.

The commission pointed to the alleged auctioning of the contract for selling illicit liquor, stating that village welfare committees in areas such as Seshachamuthiram, Madhavacheri, Sankarapuram and Kachirapalayam were involved in such practices.

The report observed that Kallakurichi lacked adequate industrial development and job opportunities. Sections of population that lost employment when agricultural activities remained unavailable turned to alcohol.

The commission suggested additional assistance to some of the affected families, beyond the Rs 10 lakh compensation given.

It recommended strict enforcement of the Prohibition Act and called for a phased reduction of liquor sales with the objective of complete prohibition within a stipulated period.

It said the alleged nexus between illicit liquor sellers and police officials must be dismantled and called for action against officials who failed to discharge their duties.

It also suggested establishing industries in Kallakurichi, considering natural toddy sales, reducing IMFL prices and changing TASMAC’s operating hours.

Eligibility: Open to students enrolled in full-time B.Tech, M.Tech, MBA/PGDM, or Polytechnic diploma programmes at recognised government or private institutions in India

Prizes & Rewards: Selected candidates will receive financial aid of up to Rs 20,000, disbursed in a milestone-based manner upon successful completion of four approved certification courses

Last Date to Apply: September 30

Application mode: Online applications only

Short Url: www.b4s.in/dtnt/EPSP2

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

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

Last Date to Apply: October 31

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

Prizes & Rewards: Selected students will receive scholarship benefits of up to Rs 12,000 (based on actual expenses). Mentorship support (Session on Road Safety)

Last Date to Apply: September 30

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Eligibility: The application is open to meritorious students who have secured at least 60% marks or an equivalent CGPA in Class 10th or 12th/equivalent examinations during the academic years 2023–24 to 2025–26. For the General Scholarship, applicants must have taken admission in the first year of one of the listed academic programmes in 2026–27.

Prizes & Rewards: An award of up to Rs 50,000.

Last Date to Apply: September 30

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

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

Last Date to Apply: September 19

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Eligibility: Must be an Indian citizen. Open to students enrolled in the first year (academic year 2026-27) of their B.Tech or BE programme

Prizes & Rewards: Rs 1,00,000 per year for up to four years

Last Date to Apply: September 20, 2026

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Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V Sampathkumar moved the resolution, stating that caste-wise details of Other Backward Classes had not been collected in the Census conducted after Independence.

The resolution said accurate details of BCs, MBCs and DNCs were essential to ensure social justice for all sections of society. It urged the Union government to collect caste details during the second phase of the Census in the same manner as those for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

It further urged the Centre to pre-load the lists of BCs, MBCs and DNCs notified by the State and Union governments into the Census enumeration portal/application. The resolution said that the details should be collected solely from the names contained in these notified lists.

The Assembly also urged the Union government to dispense with the "open-column method" for enumerating BCs, MBCs and DNCs, describing the method as ambiguous.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by the House with the support of all parties, including the VCK, IUML, Congress, AIADMK, PMK, Left parties and BJP. Due to their eviction from the House, DMK members were unable to participate in the debate on the resolution.

Addressing the media at a press conference here on Tuesday, principal accountant general (Audit-I), Tamil Nadu, R Thiruppathi Venkatasamy provided key insights into the findings of seven CAG reports presented in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

The reports cover the State's finances for 2024-25; State revenues for the period ended March 2024; educational scholarship schemes for SC/ST/SCC students; power generation activities of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited; state public sector enterprises (SPSEs); Jal Jeevan Mission; and implementation of the Smart City Mission.

The State Finances Audit Report for 2024-25 noted that Tamil Nadu recorded robust GSDP growth of 15.98%, but continued to face fiscal pressures. The State reported a revenue deficit of Rs 45,840 crore, while revenue receipts grew by only 6.89%. Revenue expenditure accounted for 84.70% of total expenditure, committed expenditure for 53.75% of revenue expenditure and subsidies for 16%. The CAG also observed that a significant portion of borrowings was used for revenue expenditure and debt servicing rather than asset creation.

The report further found that revenue arrears stood at Rs 58,110.16 crore as of March 31, 2025, of which Rs 28,726.53 crore had remained outstanding for more than five years. The arrears accounted for 27.18% of the State's own revenue.

Thiruppathi said the seven reports highlighted the need for tighter monitoring, improved revenue realisation and greater accountability.

The Performance Audit on Power Generation Activities of Tangedco, tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday, flagged deficiencies in thermal power generation, coal procurement and handling, and delays in commissioning power projects.

Poor performance and failure of the ash handling system at NCTPS-II caused generation loss and additional expenditure of more than Rs 130 crore, the audit said.

Coal shortages and purchase of coal at higher prices resulted in additional expenditure of more than Rs 3,900 crore. Tangedco’s failure to adopt the variable-price method for imported coal, instead of the firm-price method, cost another Rs 1,200 crore.

Listing out the lapses, it said despite contractual provisions to claim compensation for coal shortages, Tangedco neither calculated shortages nor claimed compensation from contractors for 2001-24. Also, testing was not done or results were unavailable for 17.55 lakh tonnes of coal.

The audit said acceptance of lower-grade coal forced Tangedco to use additional quantities, causing avoidable expenditure of around Rs 1,500 crore. It also incurred around Rs 250 crore due to pre-berth delays in time charters and made excess idle-freight payments because of deficiencies in the Fuel Supply Agreement.

The CAG noted that a previous audit covering coal management for the five years ending 2018-19 had highlighted similar deficiencies, but most issues continued to persist.

Projects delayed

Thermal projects scheduled for completion before March 2023 remained incomplete, with progress ranging from 18% to 94%, and the utility exceeded the 50-month completion norm prescribed by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission by 13 to 56 months, it said.

The resultant increase in Interest During Construction, estimated at around Rs 3,600 crore for three projects, is likely to be disallowed by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Regulatory Commission while finalising project capital costs, the auditor cautioned.

The audit also highlighted the failure of the Ujwal Discoms Assurance Yojana (UDAY) to improve Tangedco’s financial position. Tamil Nadu was required to take over 75%, or Rs 56,317 crore, of Tangedco’s debt but took over only Rs 22,815 crore, or 34.38%, citing financial constraints.

The gap between Average Cost of Supply and Average Revenue Realised widened from (-) Rs 0.60 per unit in 2015-16 to (-) Rs 1.07 in 2019-20, while outstanding debt rose from Rs 81,312 crore to Rs 1.23 lakh crore by March 2020, it noted.

The CAG also said the Rs 28,731.74-crore Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme remained at an initial stage, with smart metering yet to take off. State government subsidy and grant support to the utility rose 314%, from Rs 5,947.09 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 24,636.98 crore in 2024-25.

Dindigul was the 12th but was not selected, as its first Smart City Proposal (SCP) did not contain the prescribed sector-wise list of projects for the Area Based Development (ABD) area along with the Pan-city coverage.

Though a revised proposal was forwarded in November 2017, the Centre did not consider. The audited cities had initially proposed 243 projects worth Rs 10,035.58 crore. But 52 of these projects, accounting for Rs.1,602.20 crore, were not implemented.

At the same time, 44 projects worth Rs 623.86 crore that were not part of their original proposals were implemented. Five of these were routine works that should have been undertaken by the respective corporations from their own funds, while 21 were implemented outside the ABD area.

Another significant planning gap was the complete absence of Greenfield development in all 7 audited cities. As many as 70 projects involving Rs 655.43 crore were implemented outside the approved ABD areas.

The 7 cities remained largely dependent on government grants, with little mobilisation through public-private partnerships, borrowings or other sources envisaged under the mission. Against Rs 1,630.03 crore of projects planned through PPP, only 4 worth Rs.16.57 crore were executed in Chennai and Coimbatore.

Dindigul was the 12th city but was not selected, as its first Smart City Proposal did not contain the prescribed sector-wise list of projects for the Area Based Development

The CAG also found that Rs 1,127 crore of the Centre’s share was diverted to Personal Deposit accounts in 2021, contrary to maintaining it in a Single Nodal Account. Delays in transferring funds from the State government to TUFIDCO and subsequently to the Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) were also observed.

Municipal corporations continued to retain significant control over project selection and implementation, limiting the role of these agencies. Revenue of Rs 57.72 crore collected by the corporations from deposits, lease rentals, parking and user charges was also not transferred to them.

Around 93 projects requiring statutory approvals had been commenced without obtaining the necessary clearances. Of these, 81 projects worth Rs 1,430.83 crore were awaiting clearances from planning and other authorities, while 12 projects worth Rs 175.27 crore were awaiting approvals from the TN Pollution Control Board.

The CAG also found that 12 projects worth Rs 590.58 crore and another 60 projects worth Rs 625.73 crore had not been placed before the High-Powered Project Sanctioning Committee after being split into smaller packages. According to the audit, this denied the projects the intended expert scrutiny and the possibility of cost savings.

KEY NUMBERS

• Originally proposed projects: 243

• Original project value: Rs 10,035.58 crore

• Projects eventually taken up: 414

As of March 2024...

• Completed: 387

• Ongoing: 27

• Expenditure: Rs 6,341.81 crore

Projects and their value

• Planned projects not implemented: 52

• Valued at Rs 1,602.20 crore

• Unplanned projects implemented: 44

• Valued at Rs 623.86 crore

• Centre’s share diverted to PD accounts: Rs 1,127 crore

• Revenue not transferred to SPVs: Rs 57.72 crore

• Projects sans clearances: 93

The draft rules, framed under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, are based on the 2025 guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). The aggregator licence is aimed at regulating app-based transport services and ensuring transparent and efficient services for passengers.

The minister, who was speaking during a debate on demands for grants, also said autorickshaw fares would be revised soon and fare meters will be installed in all autorickshaws.

The preliminary report of the special committee on fare revision had been submitted and was under review, he revealed.

“Autorickshaw fares were revised in Chennai in 2013 and in other districts in 2014. Revision of fares in line with rising fuel and maintenance costs has been a long-pending demand of autorickshaw owners,” he noted.

Parthiban said a fare revision committee formed on August 5 submitted its revised fare recommendation on August 21.

The amendment Bill seeks to reduce the minimum land requirement to set up private universities to 12 acres within the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits, 18 acres in other municipal corporations and municipal councils, and 25 acres in other areas. It also proposes reducing the permanent endowment fund requirement from Rs 50 crore to Rs 25 crore.

The amendment follows recommendations of a Task Force on Compliance Reduction and Deregulation constituted by the Union government, which was led by the Cabinet Secretary. The task force had recommended removing the minimum land and endowment fund requirements for establishing higher educational institutions.

The proposal, however, faced stiff opposition in the Assembly from both allies and rivals of the ruling TVK.

CPI MLA K Marimuthu opposed the Bill, arguing that reducing the requirements could lead to the commercialisation of education and affect the principle of social justice.

PMK MLA A Ganeshkumar also opposed the amendment, stating that reducing the land requirement could result in universities lacking adequate infrastructure and facilities. He also criticised the proposal to reduce the endowment fund from Rs 50 crore to Rs 25 crore.

However, Higher Education Minister Viswanathan defended the Bill, saying the amendments were aimed at facilitating the establishment of world class private universities in Tamil Nadu.

The proposal had earlier been introduced by the previous DMK regime. However, following strong opposition from political parties and other stakeholders, the government withdrew the Private Universities Bill in February 2026.

The TVK - led government has now revived the proposal in an amended form and secured its passage in the Assembly despite opposition from its supporting parties.

While Kannan, a resident from Elangadu village near Boothalur in Thanjavur was digging a land near his house, he found a metal coin and soon, he passed on the information to the Vishnampettai temple Executive officer Gopi, who contacted Mani Maran, a Tamil Pandit and archaeological researcher of Saraswathi Mahal Library in Thanjavur.

Soon, a team headed by Mani Maran rushed to the spot and found that there was a Siva Lingam dating back to the Pallava era. Mani Maran said that the Elangadu village is known for the rich heritage of Chola, Pallava, Mutharaiyar, Pandia, Naikar and Maratha kings.

The Lingam was believed to be buried in due course of time. The texture and the size of the lingam depict that it belonged to the Pallava period. “Further excavation might bring out several idols from the spot, and it has reference in ancient manuscripts,” Mani Maran said.

Upon inspection of the coin unearthed, the research team along with the numismatic Seetharaman, said the coin which was weighing around 3.30 grams belonged to Sadaya Sundara Pandian I ruled the region between 1,250 and 1284.

The coin has the symbol of fish depicting the Pandian era, a kuthuvilakku and a human face. There is a Tamil word ‘Ellanthalaiyanan’ around the coin, which confirms that it was released during Sundara Pandian's rule.

According to manuscripts, Sundara Pandian established Vikkrama Pandia Sathurvedi Mangalam near Chidambaram in veneration of his elder brother Vikkrama Pandian.

He also built the Vikkrama Pandia Eswaran temple in the locality and performed special pujas before wars and won every single war, and so he has been acclaimed as Ellanthalaiyanan, said Mani Maran.

He also urged the government to begin excavation in the Elangadu village, which would become a treasure trove.

To streamline relief operations across all Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) zones, senior IAS officers have been deployed under the leadership of ministers. Ministerial teams and senior officials have been instructed to conduct field inspections at least twice a week in flood-prone areas and ongoing project sites to address operational gaps immediately.

A joint framework has been established involving the GCC, CMWSSB, police, fire services, health, fisheries, TNPDCL, and CMRL to expedite the works. The departments concerned have been directed to clear water hyacinth from waterbodies, desilt canals, and expedite pending road, drinking water, and sewage pipeline repairs to prevent urban flooding. TNPDCL has been specifically ordered to replace snapping-hazard power cables and reinforce weak electricity poles to eliminate electrocution risks during heavy rains.

Emergency equipment, including high-capacity dewatering pumps, chainsaws, heavy machinery, and rescue boats, is being pre-positioned in vulnerable zones for immediate deployment. Also, schools and community halls are being readied as relief centres, backed by community kitchens equipped to provide hot meals and safe drinking water.

The meeting was attended by ministers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, KG Arunraj, and KA Sengottaiyan, along with Chief Secretary M Saikumar, State police chief Mahesh Kumar Aggarwal and department secretaries, while district Collectors joined the proceedings via video conference.

The decision followed a meeting between senior AIADMK leaders Agri SS Krishnamurthy, OS Manian and R Kamaraj and BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran, during which the AIADMK leaders sought the saffron party's support. This assumes significance after EPS said that new parties joining the AIADMK-led front would be welcomed. Asked whether the DMK would be accepted, he smiled and replied: “Will the DMK come?” The talk has brought to the fore the principal opposition's stance in the bypolls: whether to field candidates that will split the opposition vote or abstain to indirectly help the AIADMK candidates.

The BJP's backing comes amid the AIADMK's preparations to reclaim the two seats it won in the 2026 Assembly elections. The BJP's decision to support the AIADMK assumes significance as the bypolls will be the first electoral contest between the principal political formations since the TVK government assumed office. The two seats are also politically significant for the AIADMK as the vacancies resulted from the defection of its legislators to the ruling party.

Polling is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9. Nominations can be filed from September 9 to 16, scrutiny will take place on September 17, and the last date for withdrawal is September 19. The Model Code of Conduct has already come into force in the two constituencies.

“This case stands as a classic textbook illustration of how draconian statutory provisions can be weaponised, holding an innocent person beneath the suspended sword of a death sentence,” observed a Division Bench of Justices N Anand Venkatesh and KK Ramakrishnan.

The Bench set aside the conviction and death sentence imposed by the Principal Sessions Court (Pocso Act Cases), Sivaganga, on April 20, 2026, and directed that Chandran be released forthwith unless his custody was required in any other case.

“The Pocso Act is intentionally stringent, designed as a shield to protect children from exploitation. Yet, it is deeply painful to witness instances where vulnerable children are used as pawns by adults to settle private scores, rendering the child a victim twice over,” the judges observed.

The High Court found material contradictions in the prosecution witnesses' accounts, particularly regarding how the children had assembled at the accused's house. It also questioned the absence of any natural reaction from neighbours at the alleged place of occurrence.

The court further noted the unexplained delay in lodging the complaint and the failure to recover the mobile phone allegedly used by the children before the incident. It held that the absence of this objective evidence added to the reasonable doubt.

The Bench also held that the trial court had erred in convicting Chandran under Section 4 of the Pocso Act when no specific charge had been framed under that provision.