Minister for Textiles and Handlooms M Vijay Balaji on Monday said in the Assembly that the department had conducted opinion polls across the State to find out which type of dhoti people preferred — 8-yard unbleached dhotis or 4-yard bleached dhotis.

"Most people voted in favour of 4-yard dhotis. So, the government decided to provide 4-yard dhotis under the free gift hamper for the ensuing Pongal festival," Minister Balaji said.

Responding to DMK member S Austin, who raised a query under the Special Calling Attention motion, he said that if the length of the dhotis was changed suddenly, weavers would also have to change the size of their looms, adding that this could affect their livelihood.

The Minister said Opposition members should wear the 8-yard dhotis provided during the DMK regime, while the Treasury bench members would wear the 4-yard bleached dhotis.

"Let the people decide which dhoti is better. The weavers have accepted the government's new initiative, and there will be no impact on them," he said.

The park, which would house semiconductor industries along with research and development facilities, is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for around 5,000 people, giving a major boost to Tamil Nadu's electronics and semiconductor ecosystem, he said.

Referring to the Budget announcement on Multi-Modal Logistics Parks and Dry Ports, the chief minister said a Multi-Modal Logistics Hub would be established in Tiruchy through TIDCO, considering that the central region and its surrounding areas are home to several MSME industries.

TIDCO will conduct a feasibility study and prepare a detailed project report (DPR), based on which the logistics hub will be established in Tiruchirappalli, he added.

CM Vijay also announced the establishment of the Coimbatore FinTech Hub at an estimated cost of Rs 400 crore.

The proposed centre is aimed at strengthening Coimbatore's position as a hub for technology-enabled financial services and creating new opportunities in the digital economy.

The issue took a controversial turn due to the allegations, as the opposition raised the related court case and called certain remarks sub judice. The opposition DMK walked out at a stage of the discussion objecting to the Speaker not permitting them to respond to the allegations made by the ministers.

PWD and Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna alleged that corruption was particularly prevalent in the mining and liquor sectors in Tamil Nadu and questioned the transparency of licences issued to liquor manufacturing units. He claimed that 11 distilleries had been granted licences under successive governments and alleged that people associated with the DMK, including a party treasurer and a parliamentarian, had benefited from such licences.

Former Minister EV Velu rejected the allegation, saying licences were issued only to eligible applicants in accordance with prescribed rules. "Granting a licence cannot by itself be called corruption. If there is evidence, take action," he said.

Former Minister V Senthilbalaji accused the government of creating the impression that wrongdoing had occurred during the DMK regime. He said the DMK's policy remained total prohibition and pointed out that 603 Tasmac outlets had been closed during its tenure.

"You can investigate and present your evidence before the court. The court will take the final decision," he said.

Former minister and DMK Deputy Leader of Opposition KN Nehru questioned the ruling side over the alleged Rs 10 collection and asked whether the practice had stopped after the TVK government assumed office. "If the workers overcharged, it is corruption in the DMK government, while you are now giving justification for it under your regime," he said.

Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh said overcharging customers had been entrenched in Tasmac for years and alleged that employees were being made to collect the additional amount. He said the department required comprehensive restructuring and claimed to have evidence of the practice.

Law Minister R Nirmalkumar said that if Rs 10 were collected on annual TASMAC sales of around Rs 50,000 crore, the amount would amount to Rs 5,000 crore. He said steps were being taken to stop such collections.

Intervening in the debate, Speaker JCD Prabhakar cautioned members against discussing in detail matters pending before courts, saying they could refer to a case being pending but should not make allegations against individuals or comment on the merits of the proceedings.

The ruling came when Law Minister R Nirmalkumar cited a court order while responding to allegations of a Tasmac sales scam. Nirmalkumar read out the public prosecutor's contentions recorded in the order. Prabhakar said the Minister had only quoted the prosecutor's submissions and had not read anything beyond what was recorded in the order.

The Speaker said he had examined the hard copy of the order submitted by the minister and pointed out that the passages cited were arguments made before the court, not its verdict. Since the order was in the public domain, he said, the remarks could not be expunged from the Assembly records. "Generally, the members of the House should not go into the details of matters before the court and pending in the court. This is the House's rule," Prabhakar said.

"This case or this matter is pending in the court — we can say. We shouldn't go into detail," he added.

He said members could quote the contents of a court order, particularly the public prosecutor's submissions, but cautioned them against criticising a judge's judgment.

"We cannot and shouldn't criticise the judgment of the judge. But we can quote what the order says, especially when it comes to the public prosecutor," he said.

Prabhakar also urged members to exercise restraint in sensitive cases and refrain from describing anyone as convicted while proceedings were pending.

"The court will deliver the verdict. We cannot pinpoint any member as convicted," he said, asking members not to force him to repeatedly review debates for compliance with law and House rules.

The hike will entail an additional annual expenditure of Rs 486.90 crore for the government.

Announcing the hike before the commencement of the debate on the Prohibition and Excise Department in the Assembly, Prohibition and Excise Minister K Vignesh said the move was aimed at preventing MRP violations at outlets. Under the TVK-led government, employees found indulging in MRP violations will face a three-month suspension from service, he said. A repeat violation will result in dismissal, he added. "The government will not tolerate corruption," Vignesh said.

The monthly salary of supervisors will be increased from Rs 22,313 to Rs 33,023, while salesmen will get Rs 30,284, up from Rs 19,413. The salary of assistant salesmen will be raised from Rs 17,925 to Rs 28,680.

The minister also announced a festival advance of Rs 20,000 for Tasmac employees and Rs 6,000 towards uniform and stitching expenses.

The government is also making provisions to improve cleanliness and provide basic facilities at Tasmac shops. The government will provide Rs 5,000 per outlet within Corporation limits, Rs 4,000 for shops in Municipalities and Town Panchayats and Rs 3,000 for shops in village areas towards maintenance.

The government will also introduce a rotating weekly day off for Tasmac employees and limit their duty period to 8 hours a day. Employees will additionally be entitled to two casual leaves every month, Vignesh said.

The minister said the government would take steps to induct 250 qualified Tasmac employees as junior assistants in government departments.

The government also announced stricter action against employees involved in MRP violations. Recalling the measures during the AIADMK regime, Vignesh said that employees who overcharged customers by amounts between Rs 1 and Rs 9 were fined.

The DPR will assess the technical and commercial feasibility of the project, including the capacity and configuration of the shipyard, shipbuilding and ship-repair potential, production facilities and the types of vessels that could be targeted. This will be based on Indian and global demand, competing shipyards and potential customers, with the study also looking at annual vessel output, CGT capacity and steel throughput.

It will cover an approach channel, turning basin, berths and other marine assets. Topographical, bathymetric, hydrographic and geotechnical information will form part of the assessment, along with requirements for dredging, reclamation, ground improvement and shore protection.

A key part of the DPR will be the division between common infrastructure for the cluster and facilities to be developed by the anchor shipyard. It will set out the respective responsibilities of the project SPV and the anchor shipyard for ownership, funding, operation and maintenance of major infrastructure and marine assets. The supporting infrastructure will include power, water, fire-fighting systems, industrial gases, roads, drainage, buildings, workshops and warehouses.

The consultant will also assess the implications for fishing and other coastal communities and prepare measures for stakeholder and livelihood concerns, while the DPR will factor in the requirements arising from land development and the site's physical and regulatory constraints.

The cost assessment will cover dredging, reclamation, ground improvement, marine infrastructure, shipyard facilities and equipment, utilities, buildings, roads and other common infrastructure, as well as recurring costs such as maintenance dredging and infrastructure upkeep.

The proposed funding structure will examine government grants, equity, debt and private investment. Possible revenue for the SPV from land or lease rentals and charges for the use of common infrastructure and marine assets will also be assessed, along with arrangements for their long-term operation and maintenance. The consultancy is to be completed in 26 weeks.

The proposed cluster is being developed through National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park Tamil Nadu Ltd (NSHIP-TN), a 50:50 joint venture between VOC Port and SIPCOT. The two entities signed an MoU in September 2025 to develop a mega shipbuilding cluster at Thoothukudi.

NSHIP-TN, South Korea's HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE) and Sagarmala Finance Corporation signed an MoU in April for a proposed 2.5million-gross-tonne annual-capacity greenfield shipyard at Thoothukudi.

The direction came while hearing a PIL filed by Madurai-based advocate R Manibharathi, who relied on information obtained under the Right to Information Act to contend that several government hospitals and primary health centres were functioning without sewage treatment facilities.

A division bench comprising Justice CV Karthikeyan and Justice R Sakthivel took note of the submissions and directed the respondents to file a status report. The case has been posted for further hearing on October 8, 2026.

According to the RTI information cited before the court, 164 government healthcare institutions across 10 districts were listed as functioning without STPs. The districts include Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Dindigul, Sivaganga, Pudukkottai and Dharmapuri. The institutions include government medical college hospitals, government hospitals, district headquarters hospitals, taluk hospitals, urban and upgraded primary health centres and primary health centres.

The petitioner specifically pointed to the Government Rajaji Medical College Hospital in Madurai, stating that although an STP had been installed, it was allegedly not functioning properly due to non-payment of electricity bills. He alleged that untreated sewage was consequently being discharged into the Vaigai river.

The Government Medical College Hospital in Thoothukudi, meanwhile, did not have an STP facility, the petitioner submitted. He also said several hospitals, including Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital, had not responded to RTI applications.

The petitioner submitted that hospitals generate hazardous biomedical waste, including pathological and microbiological waste, blood-contaminated materials, operation theatre and laboratory waste, discarded medicines, human tissues, sharps, contaminated plastics and liquid biomedical waste. Improper handling, he said, could result in the spread of infectious diseases, groundwater contamination, ecological damage and risks to hospital staff, patients, sanitation workers and the public.

Relying on Rule 4 of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, Manibharathi submitted that healthcare facilities have a statutory obligation to handle biomedical waste without adversely affecting human health or the environment. He also referred to provisions requiring segregation at source, barcoding, pre-treatment wherever necessary, scientific treatment of liquid biomedical waste and disposal through authorised Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities.

The petitioner further relied on the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which prohibits the discharge of untreated sewage and trade effluents into streams, wells, sewers or land. He alleged that several government hospitals were violating these provisions.

He also cited the Supreme Court's judgment in Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti v Union of India, submitting that institutions discharging effluents were required to have functional STPs or ETPs.

The PIL sought directions to the state to install ETPs in government medical college hospitals, district headquarters hospitals, taluk hospitals and primary health centres in the southern districts and ensure their proper functioning. It also sought periodic inspections and publication of inspection and maintenance records.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the woman, Lakshmi (71), of Indira Nagar in Uthangarai, submitted a complaint at the Krishnagiri district Superintendent of Police’s office on Monday, seeking an investigation and action against those responsible for the alleged fraud.

Bank account frozen over GST dues

Lakshmi had recently visited her bank to withdraw money when the manager informed her that her account had been frozen by the Commercial Taxes Department. On inquiry, she was told that an order issued by the Assistant Commissioner of the Ambur Commercial Taxes Assessment Circle had led to the freezing of her account.

According to the department’s communication, a private company registered in Lakshmi’s name had outstanding GST dues of Rs 2,53,23,676 for the 2018-19 financial year.

Lakshmi said she had no connection with the company mentioned by the Commercial Taxes Department and had never operated such a business.

Son’s account also frozen

In her complaint, Lakshmi alleged that unidentified persons had misused copies of her Aadhaar and PAN cards to fraudulently obtain GST registration in her name and evade taxes worth Rs 2.53 crore.

She also stated that her son Ramakrishnan’s bank account had been frozen over the same GST dues. Ramakrishnan is a daily wage worker and maintains a savings account at another bank branch.

Lakshmi urged the police to conduct a detailed investigation, identify and take action against those responsible, and ensure that both her and her son’s frozen bank accounts are restored.

The water will be released for 45 days to support samba paddy cultivation in the delta region. After opening the sluices, the Chief Minister, in the presence of Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N Anand, showered flowers on the water as it gushed out of the gates.

Vijay, dressed in a shirt and veshti and sporting a green shawl over his shoulders, later visited a photo exhibition showcasing the history of the Mettur Dam. As of 8 am on Tuesday, the water level in the reservoir stood at 91.56 feet, against its full reservoir level of 120 feet. The dam was receiving an inflow of 10,857 cusecs.

Although June 12 is the customary date for the annual release of water from the Mettur Dam for delta irrigation, the release could not be made this year on schedule due to inadequate storage. The opening of the sluices marks the first time Vijay has released water from the Mettur Dam for delta irrigation since assuming office as Chief Minister.

Earlier, Vijay arrived in Salem by special flight and proceeded to Mettur by road. Large crowds gathered along both sides of the route to greet the Chief Minister and extend a warm welcome.

The lead opposition party’s spokesperson TKS Elangovan on Monday backed the Congress’s stance on projecting Rahul Gandhi as a prime ministerial candidate over Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay. Elangovan supported Congress leader S Rajeshkumar’s remarks regarding the prime ministerial candidate, questioning TVK’s rationale.

Talking to media persons in Tirunelveli, the senior leader clarified his party’s stance that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alone could be the INDIA bloc’s prime ministerial candidate in the 2029 Lok Sabha election, as the Grand Old Party heads the alliance.

Responding to questions about Congress minister S Rajeshkumar’s threat that the party’s ministers will resign from the Cabinet if ruling party members continue to promote CM Vijay as a PM candidate, Vaiko attributed it to individual choice rather than a formal decision by the TVK. “Rahul Gandhi can definitely be the prime ministerial candidate in the Lok Sabha election. Since the Congress leads the INDIA bloc, its candidate can be the prime ministerial candidate,” he said, adding that even in the Chief Minister’s imagination, there could be no such view.

Vaiko also urged the Chief Minister to advise ministers against making such controversial statements, as the vocal supporter of TVK in the Congress, Rajeshkumar himself, has hit back at the ruling party’s recent penchant for portraying CM Vijay as the PM candidate in 2029 Lok Sabha polls. “There is no possibility of any other alternative except Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate from the INDIA bloc,” Vaiko said, advising ministers from alliance parties to refrain from making contradictory or careless public statements.

Karuppiah’s comments have been officially removed from the proceedings of the House. The remarks made in the Assembly last Thursday drew sharp criticism from several political parties, including the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).

The AIADMK has also announced a protest on September 3, accusing the legislator of insulting jallikattu, which is deeply rooted in Tamil culture and tradition. Responding to the controversy in the Assembly, the Speaker announced that the disputed portion of Karuppiah’s speech would be expunged.

Aadhav said 182 MLAs have submitted formal requests for bypass infrastructure, and assured the House that the government is addressing these demands systematically.

At an extensive discussion on road infrastructure in the State during Question Hour in the House, the legislators across party lines raised urgent demands for bypass roads, high-level bridges, and junction upgrades to tackle rising traffic congestion and accident rates.

Aadhav announced a massive plan to upgrade a 43.16 km stretch of National Highway 75 between Pathalampalli and Latheri into a fourlane road. Estimated at Rs 947.46 crore, the project incorporates an 11.85 km bypass route spanning 13 villages, with land acquisition currently in progress. The proposal included new bridges, culverts, and major junction improvements, awaiting final administrative approval, he said.

Police identified the deceased as Dinesh Kumar (37), and his parents, Ramasamy (65), a weaver and Pappathi (60) from Saminathapuram village near Muthur.

Police said Dinesh Kumar, who was employed in a firm supplying medicine for poultry farms in Namakkal, had borrowed huge amounts from banks and through online money lending apps.

Unable to repay, Dinesh Kumar ended his life by hanging. His elderly parents, who saw him hanging, also took the extreme step out of depression.

The Vellakovil police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies for a post-mortem at Kangeyam GH.

Further inquiries are under way.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. In case you feel distressed by the content or know someone in distress, call --- Sneha, Chennai: 91-44-2464 0050, 91-44-2464 0060; Maithri, Cochin: +91 239 6272; Sumaitri, New Delhi: 2338 9090; Aasra, Mumbai: 9820466726; Fortis MentalHealth: 8376804102.

Announcing the projects in the Assembly, Vijay said Tamil Nadu's growing economy and rising power consumption required world-class electricity infrastructure backed by advanced technology across generation, transmission and distribution.

Under the Tamil Nadu Transmission Improvement Scheme, 196 new substations will be established and 15,000 km of new transmission lines laid, while existing transmission lines will be strengthened.

The government will also establish a 2X800 MW New Supercritical Thermal Power Station at the Thoothukudi thermal power station (TPS) complex at an estimated cost of Rs 20,800 crore under the public-private partnership model.

Commissioned in phases from 1979, the Thoothukudi TPS has five coal-based units of 210MW each, with a total installed capacity of 1,050MW.

The government plans to gradually replace the existing units with supercritical plant to comply with environmental regulations applicable to coal-based thermal power stations. The new project will comprise two units of 800MW each.

The chief minister said Tamil Nadu had emerged as a leading State in renewable energy and was continuing to focus on wind and solar power as well as battery storage.

However, renewable energy sources were not available uniformly throughout the day. While technology to store surplus renewable power in batteries for use during night-time demand was being deployed, the existing infrastructure was not sufficient to meet power requirements at all times, he said.

Thermal power generation would, therefore, continue to be important to ensure uninterrupted supply during periods of high demand, the chief minister said, adding that investments in generation capacity were essential to meet the State's increasing power load.

The government also announced distribution infrastructure improvement works worth Rs 1,762 crore in Chennai. The works will include setting up 36 new 33/11 kV substations, installing new distribution transformers, and replacing damaged or ageing cables, conductors, pillar boxes, and circuit breakers.

These measures are aimed at strengthening Chennai's distribution network and addressing power disruptions caused by flooding during the monsoon as well as challenges arising from high electricity demand during summer.

Though details of the meeting were not immediately available, sources said Chakravarty's interaction with Vijay was aimed at addressing the repeated statements by TVK ministers and leaders projecting the chief minister as a future PM.

The issue has emerged as a potential source of friction in the ruling alliance, with Congress leaders insisting that Rahul Gandhi should be the opposition bloc's choice for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

The timing of Chakravarty's meeting is significant. On Sunday (August 30), Congress leader and Tourism Minister Rajesh Kumar had publicly warned that the two Congress ministers in the Vijay cabinet would resign if TVK did not accept Rahul Gandhi as its Prime Ministerial candidate.

“When journalists and media persons ask me about this in my capacity as a minister, I make our position very clear. Our leader Rahul Gandhi will become the next Prime Minister in the 2029 parliamentary election. If TVK does not agree to this, the two Congress ministers will not continue in their posts,” Kumar said at the oath-taking ceremony of the Congress Kanyakumari West district president.

On Monday (August 31), Congress MP and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president B Manickam Tagore also met Vijay at the Secretariat.

Tagore was part of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, whose chairman and members visited the state and held discussions with Vijay and senior government officials on housing and urban development.

Tagore's meeting with Vijay, though official in nature, came against the backdrop of his recent criticism of TVK's pro-Vijay PM pitch. He had described the repeated assertions by TVK ministers that Vijay would become PM as reflecting a “fan club mentality”.

The exchanges have exposed an early faultline in the ruling coalition, even as the 2029 Lok Sabha election is still nearly three years away.

TVK has 107 MLAs, while Congress has four. IUML and VCK have two MLAs each and are part of the Vijay cabinet, while CPM and CPI, with two MLAs each, extend outside support.

A Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel raised the issue after the court was informed that disciplinary proceedings initiated against senior officials based on the commission’s recommendations had been dropped.

The issue came up during the hearing of a petition filed by K Kathiresan of PP Kulam in Madurai and others, seeking directions to register criminal cases against those responsible for the police firing and payment of the balance compensation to the victims.

During the hearing, the Advocate General submitted a compliance affidavit filed by the Chief Secretary to the State Government.

According to the affidavit, the government had dropped the disciplinary action recommended against the then Thoothukudi Collector N Venkatesh, then South Zone Inspector General of Police Shailesh Kumar Yadav and DIG Kapil Kumar C Saratkar.

In the case of P Mahendran, then Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi, the Government directed the inquiry authority to resubmit the inquiry report clearly indicating the findings on the charges.

The Government further informed the court that proceedings against eight other police officials were at the stage of preparation of minutes; while three other officials were awaiting final orders after their explanations had been received. The affidavit also stated that the punishment imposed on a Sub-Inspector was cancelled on appeal and the punishment of a Head Constable, who had been awarded a black mark, was cancelled on appeal. Disciplinary proceedings against three deputy tahsildars had been stayed by the High Court.

The state government also informed the court that, pursuant to its earlier directions, the investigation into the case had been entrusted to the CBI. Following the investigation, the CBI had filed a charge sheet against Thirumalai, the then Inspector of Police, and the case was pending trial.

On compensation, the government informed the court that Rs 25 lakh had already been paid to the families of those killed in the firing as per the Government Orders. It further submitted that, following a Cabinet meeting held on August 29, 2022, orders restricting further financial assistance to the kin of the deceased.

After the submission of the affidavit, petitioner’s counsel Henri Tiphagne sought directions for departmental action against the senior officials, payment of the balance compensation to the victims and investigation be withdrawn from CBI and handed over to STI established by the State Government.

When the Bench sought the government’s response, the Advocate General submitted that the Government needed to examine the orders dropping the disciplinary proceedings, particularly as one of the senior officials concerned had since retired, before making any commitment before the court.

The Bench consequently directed the Advocate General to ascertain the views of the present government on the possibility of taking departmental action against the officials and payment of pending compensation for deceased families and report back to the Court by  September 10, 2026.

Under the Tamil Nadu State Board, she had scored an exceptional 1,176 out of 1,200, with a medical cut-off of 196.75 out of 200 — scores that would have secured her a medical seat in the state, under the previous admission criteria. She wrote countless letters, spoke in videos, and participated in protests, seeking an exemption for TN students from NEET for that academic year.

Who is Anitha?

Anitha was born after four sons, the answer to her parents’ prayers for a daughter they had longed for. Her older brother, S Manirathinam (36), recalls, “Paapa always got the first rank.”

Their mother died when Anitha was seven, after which their paternal grandmother helped raise them. Their father worked as a load carrier at Tiruchy’s Gandhi Market to educate them. “But because we had ration rice, we did not have to experience hunger,” says Manirathinam, a Bcom and MBA graduate.

Understanding the family’s circumstances, Anitha never demanded anything for herself. The only thing she was invested in was her education. Once, even after breaking her hand, she went to school as usual. When the headmistress asked why she had come, Anitha replied, “I only have to listen (to the class) with my ears, no?”

After she finished Class 10 in a school in Kuzhumur, Manirathinam enrolled her at a school 18 km away, one with a hostel as they did not have toilets at home. At the time, instead of pressuring her over marks, he advised: “Marks don’t determine our intelligence. But you have to study with your goal in mind; only then can you enrol in your desired course.”

When the Class 12 State Board results were announced in May that year, Anitha passed with flying colours, scoring 1,176 out of 1,200, including double centums in Mathematics and Physics. Manirathinam was overjoyed, but knew NEET could pose a hurdle. He applied for aeronautical engineering at MIT and veterinary science in Orathanadu, and she secured both seats but did not take them up. For Anitha, becoming a doctor was her only dream.

Anitha passed Class 12 exam with flying colours, scoring 1,176 out of 1,200, including double centums in Mathematics and Physics. Manirathinam was overjoyed, but knew NEET could pose a hurdle. She had applied for aeronautical engineering at MIT and veterinary science in Orathanadu, and secured both seats but did not take them up. For Anitha, becoming a doctor was her only dream

Battle begins

That year, NEET had become mandatory for medical admissions after states were granted a one-year exemption in 2016. Anitha had scored 86 out of 720 marks when its results were declared in June.

In July that year, Manirathinam invited Anitha to an anti-NEET protest in Ariyalur, asking her to just come and observe. There, they met DMK’s Ariyalur district secretary SS Sivasankar and told him  about her plight. Sivasankar strongly raised the issue and also introduced her to the media after she became a household name.

At the heart of their protest was a simple argument: a Class 12 student had studied a syllabus prescribed by the government, written an exam conducted by the government and proved her ability through the marks awarded by the same system. Until the previous year, medical admissions had been based on those Class 12 marks. “So why not admit her through the same system?” they asked then.

The family met political leaders, including the then Leader of the Opposition, MK Stalin, seeking support, even as anti-NEET protests continued across Tamil Nadu. There was a brief moment of hope in August. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre would consider a one-year exemption for Tamil Nadu, and the Union Law Ministry cleared the State government’s draft ordinance.

On August 17, Anitha, represented by her father as she was still a minor, filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court, when several pro-NEET students had also approached the court. The State government had initially reserved 85% of State quota medical seats for State Board students. But the Madras High Court struck down the order after CBSE students challenged it as discriminatory.

“We thought even a 50-50 split of seats between CBSE and State Board students would get us a seat,” Manirathinam says. “But on August 22, the Union government gave a cruel blow to TN students by backing away from the ordinance seeking a one-year exemption from NEET.”

Attorney General KK Venugopal, who had initially given the proposal the nod, reversed his position, saying the ordinance would not stand legal scrutiny. The Centre then told the Supreme Court that admissions would have to be conducted solely on the basis of NEET. The NEET merit list was released the following day, and admissions began.

Meanwhile, Manirathinam urged his sister not to lose a year and suggested she could prepare for NEET alongside college. He had been working in the share market and preparing for UPSC, but he left his job when it was time for Anitha’s college counselling sessions.

But on the fateful day of September 1 that year, Anitha died by suicide at home. “We were all away from home that day. We don’t know what she was thinking. Paapa had seemed happy; she never told me she was upset. I had taken her to protests and even to the Supreme Court because I wanted to make sure she would never regret not having at least tried to fight.”

NEET not so neat

Earlier this year, a remark by Chief Justice Surya Kant, who referred to sections of unemployed youth as “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a hearing in May, triggered the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), led by its founder, Abhijeet Dipke.

The movement soon took up the 2026 NEET paper leak, amid widespread anger over such entrance exam irregularities affecting millions.

Manirathinam says the movement drew him in because it echoed questions TN had raised nine years earlier. At the Jantar Mantar protest, he called for NEET to be scrapped and education moved from the Concurrent List back to the State List.

“When TN protested then, it was largely fighting a system alone. What TN was saying years ago, India is now speaking about collectively,” he says.

Manirathinam argues that NEET’s impact extends beyond access to medical education, affecting Tamil Nadu’s public healthcare system. “Those spending lakhs to study medicine are unlikely to come from villages or serve in rural health centres. That will affect PHCs and, in turn, government hospitals,” he says. “The recent return of around 150 unfilled in-service quota PG medical seats could have strengthened government super-speciality hospitals.”

Referring to the revised NEET PG cut-offs, which allow even those with negative marks to enter counselling, he asks: “If a person can get a seat without effectively qualifying in the exam, then why keep NEET in the first place?”

In the days that followed, protests demanding #JusticeForAnitha erupted across Tamil Nadu and continued for weeks, with even school students joining demonstrations. Tamil Nadu passed two Bills seeking exemption from NEET in February 2017, but the President withheld assent in September, days after Anitha’s death — a decision that became public only in 2019.

After coming to power in 2021, the DMK set up the AK Rajan committee, which found a decline in the proportion of first-generation, rural and Tamil-medium students entering medical colleges after NEET. The State government subsequently passed another exemption Bill, which was rejected by the President in 2025, prompting the State to move the Supreme Court.

Questioning the veto, Manirathinam asks, “States, too, can legislate on matters in the Concurrent List, and there are provisions to resolve conflicts with the Centre. But if the Centre will never assent to States’ decisions, why have a Concurrent List at all? The State and Union Lists alone would be enough, wouldn’t they?”

Speaking of the TVK-led government’s recent Assembly resolution against NEET, Manirathinam calls it just a beginning. “The next step,” he argues, “should be to bring together all parties and anti-NEET voices, including Chief Ministers from other states.”

Financial constraints kept Manirathinam away from many protests after 2017. But after returning from the CJP march in New Delhi, he joined the sit-in at the CPI’s Balan Illam in Chennai. “A lot of us at Balan Illam did not want the protest to end just because the Delhi protests had ended. I realised there that the movement had to continue.”

In August, the Anti-NEET Federation-Tamil Nadu, led by him, held a 12-day hunger strike in Koyambedu and met government representatives. They are still seeking a larger designated venue for their protests. “The gathering drew many young people. We have to uphold their trust in us,” he says. “It is a challenge because I have to hold onto my job, too. But I feel I have to take forward what Anitha started.”

Manirathinam, who now works in Chennai, has since been running the Anitha Memorial Library set up on their land in the village, where he earlier conducted free UPSC coaching classes. Along with him, student organisations and other activists are planning signature campaigns and protests in September, while the TSYF and other groups will observe Anitha’s ninth memorial day at Besant Nagar Beach on September 1.

This is the first time that the corporation’s revenue has crossed the Rs 50,000-crore mark, and the income accounts for nearly 26% of the State’s own tax revenue.

Of that, VAT contributed Rs 39,010 crore, while excise duty brought in Rs 11,836 crore.

In the first four months of FY27, Tasmac has already generated Rs 17,855 crore, with revenue expected to grow 5.3% this year.

Minister Vignesh alleged that irregularities involving the collection of an additional Rs 10 per liquor bottle at Tasmac outlets had occurred during the previous regime also, amounting to up to Rs 4 crore a year.

He said the government had introduced salary hikes and other welfare measures for Tasmac employees to improve the situation. Strict action had also been taken against employees who collected additional amounts from customers, he said.

The minister said the government had brought the collection of the additional Rs 10 under control and was taking steps to completely prevent the practice.

Following the Minister's reply, DMK members sought permission to clarify the allegations. However, the Speaker did not allow them to speak, prompting the DMK members to walk out of the House.

Later, speaking to reporters, former Minister V Senthilbalaji rejected the allegations. He claimed that the present government had increased Tasmac revenue under the name of an additional priority charge.

Responding to the minister's remarks on the bottle return scheme, Senthilbalaji alleged that the government had inspected only three outlets on a trial basis and wrongly claimed that only 54 per cent of bottles were returned.

He demanded that all 4,000 Tasmac outlets be inspected and that the actual number of bottles collected under the scheme be disclosed.

On April 28, 2023, R Senthil Kumar (46), a resident of Bheema Nagar in Tiruchy, entered a house where a 13-year-old girl was alone and attempted to sexually assault her.

The alert girl raised an alarm and passed on the information to her parents, who lodged a complaint with the Cantonment All Women police.

Based on the complaint, the police registered a case and arrested Senthil Kumar and lodged him in prison under judicial custody while the case was in progress at Tiruchy Mahila Court.

On Monday, the Mahila Court judge who heard the case awarded 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 to Senthil Kumar.

The judge also recommended the state government to disburse a compensation of Rs one lakh to the victim.

The private tour operators who met the District Collector Pratik Tayal said that the state government has extended the free bus service to women across the state in the express and mufassil buses, and this would certainly affect their livelihood as the people would opt for the free service rather than the private buses.

They said that they had already been affected due to several issues, including the fuel price hike, and most of the people dependent on the private bus services have lost their employment.

They appealed to the state government to find an alternate arrangement for their livelihood or withdraw the free service to women. They also demanded that the road tax be collected once in three months and that diesel be made available at a subsidised price which would support them.

“We have also sent an appeal to the Chief Minister explaining our plight, and we expect a favourable response from him,” said P Ramesh, president, Tiruchy Central Region Tourist Vehicle Drivers Welfare Association.

Justice Anita Sumanth and Justice Sunder Mohan impleaded the Secretary to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, Home Department, as parties to the case and directed them to file their responses to the plea. The matter was posted to September 24.

On October 23, 2022 morning, a Maruti car exploded in front of the Arulmigu Kottai Sangameshwarar Temple at Ukkadam in Coimbatore. Jameesha Mubeen, who was driving the car, was killed in the blast. The case is being investigated by the NIA.

Mohamed Thalha, the third accused, was arrested and remanded in judicial custody on charges that he had purchased the car used in the attack.

Thalha had approached the MHC challenging the order of the Poonamallee Special Court rejecting his bail petition.

Hearing the plea, a Division Bench dismissed the petition and noted the material indicating his participation in a conspiracy meeting held before the attack, as well as the presence of pro-ISIS views and evidence in his electronic devices.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s directions that the pace and progress of trials relating to the NIA Act should necessarily be improved, the Bench directed the Union government to constitute exclusive courts to hear NIA cases in the State.

Replying to the debate on demands, Agriculture-Farmers' Welfare Minister Vinoth said new sugarcane varieties would be identified and tested through field trials for their suitability to cooperative and public-sector sugar mills. "The field trials will help identify varieties suited to the requirements of sugar mills," he said.

The government will also promote newly released sugarcane varieties and demonstrate modern cultivation technologies in the fields of cooperative and public-sector mills. Demonstration plots will be used to assess the performance of new varieties and encourage farmers to adopt improved practices.

As part of the sugarcane initiative, 40 progressive farmers will be taken to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Baramati in Maharashtra for five-day training on modern sugarcane technologies, including Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things-based applications.

The announcements come against the backdrop of a sharp rise in sugar prices. Retail sugar in Tamil Nadu, which touched Rs 72 a kg on August 24, fell to Rs 58 on August 29, while the Chennai retail price stood at Rs 63 on August 30.

Across India, the average retail price was Rs 64.24 a kg on August 30, around 30 per cent higher than a month earlier. The Centre has attributed the rise to lower-than-expected production, festive demand, weather-related crop damage, and speculation and hoarding.

The State will also promote high-pungency chilli varieties in low-rainfall districts, including Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Tenkasi, and Tirunelveli, focusing on better yield, pungency and disease resistance.

A separate programme will seek to raise the productivity and quality of betel leaf and improve farmers' returns.

A Division Bench comprising Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice Krishnaswamy Govindarajan said that compassionate appointment was a concession and not a constitutional scheme of appointment. “Compassion can never be claimed as an absolute right,” the Bench observed.

The government employee had died in service on May 9, 2007, leaving behind two children, aged 11 and seven. His elder daughter applied for compassionate appointment in 2016, nearly nine years after his death. The Single Judge, after hearing her plea, directed the State to provide her a job.

The State challenged the order before the Division Bench, contending that the daughter was ineligible for compassionate appointment as her application had been made nine years after the employee’s death. It submitted that the applicable scheme required applications to be filed within three years of the employee’s death.

The daughter was a minor and therefore not an eligible legal heir for appointment at the time of her father’s death. Her mother had also died, and the application was consequently made beyond the prescribed period, the State contended.

While considering the appeal, the Bench said the ill-effects of the compassionate appointment scheme must also be weighed and a pragmatic balance maintained to ensure its proper implementation. “If the scheme infringes the rights of citizens, the State must revisit it and introduce appropriate conditions to protect their constitutional rights,” it said.

The Bench stressed that the sanctity of public appointments and the constitutional guarantee to citizens must be protected. It therefore interfered with the Single Judge’s order and allowed the State’s writ appeal.

The deceased, identified by police as Thangamani, from Balaji Colony in Thathanur in Mettupatti, had gone missing on August 22. She was working as a maid at a house in Hasthampatti.

The brutal murder came to light on Monday, when Ramesh (62), a temple priest from Gunabalaramasamy Street in Arisipalayam, noticed an unbearable smell in the water coming through the tap of his house. He had returned home on Sunday night from a spiritual tour to Kumbakonam along with his wife Jumunarani and son Gautham.

Ramesh, with the help of his son, opened the lid of the Sintex tank and found a sack. “He was shocked to find severed hands and legs in a decomposed state. In another tank, nearby, he took out a sack, which had the severed head of a woman. On the terrace of a neighbour, there was another sack which had the chopped body of the woman. In all, the assailants had chopped the woman into seven parts and packed them in sacks to be thrown into the tanks,” police said.

On receiving information, the Pallapatti police rushed to the spot and traced the identity of the woman through a missing complaint with the Hasthampatti police station. After scrutinising the CCTV footage in the neighbourhood, police secured a man, working as a cook, for inquiry. Further investigations are on.

According to an official communication from the police headquarters, a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) -cum-Cryptocurrency trading fraud operating under the names "FQL Investment Trading", "FQL Exchange App" and "VG Investment Group Syndicate" has come to light across Madurai, Virudhunagar, Dindigul and Sivaganga districts over the past seven months.

Agents associated with the scheme are alleged to have induced members of the public to invest money by promising abnormally high daily rewards and falsely representing that the investments could be doubled within 40–45 days through cryptocurrency trading.

Complaints have been received from victims across the four districts. Based on information regarding the functioning of the scheme, six cases have been registered so far -- 3 in Madurai district, one each in Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga districts, and so far, 17 accused have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody, and 13 bank accounts linked to the accused have been frozen as part of the investigation.

"Prima facie investigation indicates that local agents induced the public to invest in purported cryptocurrency trading through cash and G-Pay/UPI transactions, with part of the funds allegedly converted into Tether (USDT) and credited to FQL/VG wallets. Subsequently, withdrawals reportedly failed, balances became inaccessible, and additional payments were demanded. The application was later shut down, leaving investors unable to access their purported balances, " an official release stated.

Considering the role of each accused, the extent of the network, the inter-district nature of the alleged fraud, the large number of victims, the reported financial loss, the involvement of cryptocurrency transactions including USDT, Binance wallets and the suspected international linkages, to ensure systematic, in-depth investigation, the DGP ordered transfer of all 6 cases to EOW.

The deceased was identified as Saravanan (25) of Tiruninravur.

Police said he had cases pending against him in Tiruninravur, Avadi Tank Factory, Sevvapet and Poonamallee stations.

A local farmer spotted the body in an agricultural field behind the Bala Muneeswarar Temple in Aranvoyal village and alerted Sevvapet police.

Inspecting the scene, police found no external injuries. However, 50 grams of ganja were recovered from his pocket, alongside a one-foot iron rod lying nearby.

The body was sent to Tiruvallur Government Medical College Hospital for a post-mortem to determine the cause of death.

Replying to a question raised by Agriculture Minister R Vinoth, in violation of conventions that ministers can't raise questions during such a session meant for MLAs, Minister Ramesh said he had held discussions with the Chief Minister regarding the world-famous Mahamaham festival to be held in 2028.

"We held elaborate discussions with all departments in Mayiladuthurai district. In view of the festival, consecration should be held at all temples in Kumbakonam. The Heritage Committee, which was constituted to review the number of temples requiring consecration, will submit its report to the department within two days," the minister said.

During the Question Hour, Ministers are not permitted to ask questions of other ministers, as the session is exclusively for questions from members.

However, Minister Vinoth raised a question about the Mahamaham event to his Cabinet colleague, Minister Ramesh.

Raising this issue in the Assembly, DMK member Kovi Chezhian asked whether such a practice would continue or be stopped.

The Speaker acknowledged that the practice was contrary to the Assembly rules. However, he said that if a minister had a sufficient answer to a query, he could provide it.

Over the past few months, agents allegedly approached residents in Melur and surrounding areas, particularly women, claiming that the FQL financial company would double their investments through mobile applications. Trusting the promises, thousands of people reportedly borrowed money and invested in the schemes.

However, the investors allegedly did not receive the promised returns after the stipulated period. Thousands of affected investors have since been lodging complaints with the police in Melur and Sivaganga.

Rasu, 26, from the Natham area, was among those who reportedly lost money in the online fraud. He is said to have been under mental distress for the past few days after realising that the money he had expected to double had been lost.

Meanwhile, members of the public staged a protest on the Dindigul-Madurai road, demanding action against those behind the alleged fraud and justice for Rasu's death. Police rushed to the spot and were holding talks with the protesters, leading to tension in the area.

They were received and welcomed by Tamil Nadu Minister for Non-Resident Tamils Welfare, K Thennarasu, and the Tamil Nadu Government's Special Representative in New Delhi, K Venkata Narayana.

Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Resident Commissioner of Tamil Nadu House Jaya, Resident Commissioner Ashish Kumar, and Commissioner of Non-Resident Tamils Welfare R Satheesh were among the senior officials present on the occasion.

According to a government press release, a three-member team of nodal officers from the Tamil Nadu government is currently stationed in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, to assist visiting relatives and coordinate rescue and relief measures with local authorities. Family members seeking information can also reach out to the control room set up at Tamil Nadu House, the release said.

The leaders from various environmental associations including Tamil Nadu Environmental Protection Movement, Cauvery River Protection Movement, Federation of Environmental Protection and Movement against Illegal Quarries approached the Karur district collector C Muthukumaran, and submitted a petition to cancel the public hearing for the ethanol manufacturing unit at Kumaramangalam scheduled today (Tuesday) as the proposed project has been opposed unanimously by the villagers during the gram sabha meeting held on August 15.

The activists pointed out that the upcoming the Karnataka based ‘Green Energy Pure Ethanol Private Limited’ which has selected 35 acres of wet land at Kumaramangalam between Kulithalai in Karur and Pettavaithalai in Tiruchy districts would need a minimum of 37 lakh litre per day which would be at least 1 TMC water annually, the quantity that used to be stored in Mayanur barrage.

“While Karnataka government fails to distribute due share of water to Tamil Nadu, our state is getting ready to entertain a factory from Karnataka that would use water from the region and it would certainly pollute the water bodies and turn the wetlands into barren”, said, advocate N Shanmugam, Coordinator, Movement against illegal quarries.

Shanmugam also stated that the subject was discussed during the gram sabha meeting on August 15 and all the participants opposed it and passed a resolution against the project. “Since the gram sabha meeting opposed the unit, it is naturally invalid to conduct a public hearing, and so we urged the district collector to cancel the meeting and save agriculture in the region”, he said.

He also said, while Tamil Nadu has been struggling for water for drinking and irrigating, it is not convincing to give water to the Karnataka-based firm and permit them to function in Tamil Nadu, which would only destroy the environment.

Residents said that drinking water had not been supplied properly for the past few days, forcing them to travel nearly 5 km on two-wheelers with empty pots to fetch water. The shortage has caused considerable hardship, particularly for those going to work and school students.

“We’ve approached the Araipakkam panchayat office and Maduranthagam Panchayat Union office several times for a solution, but no action was taken,” fumed a villager.

As a result, residents gathered on the Elavalampettai-Thirukalukundram State Highway on Monday morning, carrying empty pots, and staged a sudden road blockade. The protest caused heavy traffic congestion on the Thirukalukundram road, with vehicles stranded for nearly 2 km.

Police from Maduranthagam reached the spot and held talks with the protesters. However, they refused to withdraw the blockade, insisting that they would continue the protest until drinking water was supplied.

Later, Panchayat Union officials held talks with the villagers and assured them that necessary steps would be taken to resolve the water shortage. Following the assurance, they withdrew the protest and dispersed. The blockade affected traffic for more than two hours.

Cuthbert was earlier seated in the section allocated to TVK MLAs. However, her seat was changed on Monday, with the Congress leader now occupying a place in the front row of the Opposition benches, near PMK member Sowmiya Anbumani.

The development comes amid growing speculation over the relationship between the Congress and TVK, a day after Tourism Minister S Rajeshkumar said that Congress ministers in the state Cabinet would resign if TVK did not support Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Raising the issue, Opposition Whip EV Velu urged Speaker JCD Prabhakar to allot front-row seats to senior minority community member Jawahirullah and MLAs Thamimun Ansari and Nithyanandhan.

Responding to the demand, the Speaker said seats had been allotted based on the party and symbol under which the members were elected. He said the seat for Tharahai Cuthbert had been allotted in view of her position as the Congress Legislature Party leader.

The Speaker said he would consider the request for the three members and take a decision at an appropriate time.

Highways Minister Aadhav Arjuna, who was part of the ministerial team coordinating the efforts and had been camping in New Delhi for the past few days, made a suo motu statement during Zero Hour in the Assembly after returning to Chennai.

Providing details of the stranded pilgrims, Arjuna said 57 people had travelled to Nepal through Super Yatra from Kumbakonam, of whom 21 had been rescued.

He said 49 people who had travelled through Mahadev Yatra from Chromepet remained missing.

“The government has taken efforts to rescue them through the Indian Embassy,” the minister said. “The State government is ready to take relatives of the missing people from Tamil Nadu to Kathmandu free of cost.”

As part of the relief and rescue efforts, three officials from Tamil Nadu House in Delhi were camping in Kathmandu and coordinating with officials of the Indian Embassy.

“The State government has set up a dedicated call centre at Tamil Nadu House to receive information about missing people and coordinate with their families. The call centre has received 2,161 calls from the families of affected people. The State government has been in constant touch with the Union government and Embassy officials,” the minister added.

Last year, 1,45,481 seats had been filled during the corresponding stage of counselling. Despite 8,611 additional seats being made available this year, the number of seats filled declined by 1,186 compared to last year.

Tamil Nadu has 418 engineering colleges, with Anna University approving 2,53,806 seats for admission this year.

Of these, 1,99,775 seats are to be filled through the counselling process. A total of 2,36,017 students applied for engineering admissions this year.

The engineering counselling process began on July 13, and general counselling on July 20.

The number of colleges achieving 100% admissions also fell this year. All seats were filled in 30 engineering colleges, compared to 39 colleges last year.

Computer Science Engineering continued to be the most preferred course among students. Of the 1,03,614 CSE seats available, 79,104 have been filled, accounting for around 55% of all seats filled through counselling.

Electronics and Communication Engineering was the second most preferred course, accounting for 16.55% of the seats filled.

Meanwhile, registration for supplementary counselling ended on Monday (August 31).

Students who cleared Class 12 through the supplementary examinations, and those who missed the regular counselling process, have been allowed to register for the supplementary round.

The supplementary counselling is expected to provide another opportunity for eligible students to secure engineering seats in colleges across TN.

Police said Vairavan, a jaggery trader, and his wife Sumathi, residents of Cinema Kottai Medu in Pilikkalpalayam, were asleep when they woke to a noise around midnight. When they came out of their room, they found the masked intruders inside the house.

One of the gang members allegedly attacked Vairavan with a knife, injuring his hand. The gang then assaulted the couple and tied them up before breaking open a bureau. They then fled with around 40 sovereigns of gold jewellery, including jewellery worn by Sumathi, and Rs 40 lakh in cash. The stolen valuables are estimated to be worth around Rs 80 lakh.

The couple raised an alarm after the gang fled. Hearing their cries for help, neighbours rushed to the house, un-tied them and alerted the Jedarpalayam police.

Namakkal Superintendent of Police Yadav Girish Ashok and other senior police officials visited the scene and conducted an inquiry. Fingerprint experts collected evidence from the house, while a sniffer dog was deployed to assist the investigation. The Jedarpalayam police have registered a case and launched a search for the suspects.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta listed the matter again for September 15.

During the hearing, senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan, appearing for Tamil Nadu, alleged that Karnataka had failed to clear the backlog in water releases despite the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) recording the shortfall.

Vaidyanathan said that nearly 24,700 acres of agricultural land in Tamil Nadu was dependent on Cauvery water and pointed to a substantial shortfall in the water recorded at Biligundlu.

He urged the apex court to direct the authorities to reconsider Tamil Nadu's request for clearing the accumulated deficit.

Appearing for Karnataka, senior advocate Shyam Divan said the State had released 9,888 cusecs on August 30 against the stipulated 9,000 cusecs and was releasing over 11,000 cusecs on Monday.

"We have released an excess amount as of 8 am this morning," Divan said, adding that Karnataka would endeavour to maintain the required 9,000 cusecs.

The bench noted that Karnataka had increased its release from 11,000 to 12,000 cusecs from August 12.

When Vaidyanathan pressed for consideration of the backlog, the bench observed that Karnataka was already releasing the 9,000 cusecs being sought by Tamil Nadu.

The bench also told Tamil Nadu that any challenge to the decision of the CWMA would have to be made before the appropriate forum.

Vaidyanathan, however, said Tamil Nadu had filed a review before the authority on August 27 and urged that the CWMA reconsider the State's request.

The Court observed that the authorities were considering the issue and passing orders every 15 days, and said the next CWMA order could similarly take into account the submissions of both States.

The bench directed the parties to place subsequent developments on record and listed the matter for September 15.

Tamil Nadu has approached the top court seeking enforcement of a decision by the CWMA directing Karnataka to release 3,500 cusecs of Cauvery water daily for 15 days.

The Tamil Nadu government moved the top court on August 3, challenging the non-implementation of the CWMA's July 30 direction for the release of water from Karnataka's Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagara reservoirs.

The State has sought a total release of 4.536 TMC of water, corresponding to 3,500 cusecs per day over 15 days. It has urged that the stipulated quantity be released by August 12.

It sought directions to resolve the issue and ensure that Tamil Nadu receives its rightful share of Cauvery water within the stipulated time.

The DMK, the opposition party in the state, had also approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Karnataka government immediately release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu in accordance with the February 16, 2018 judgment of the apex court and subsequent directions issued by the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) and the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA).

In an application filed in the long-pending Cauvery water dispute, the DMK, represented by its Farmers Wing Secretary AKS Vijayan, sought enforcement of the CWRC's July 28, 2026 direction, upheld by the CWMA on July 30, 2026, requiring Karnataka to ensure a flow of 3,500 cusecs per day at Biligundlu for 15 days commencing July 29.

The application sought direction to the CWMA to monitor the releases from the reservoirs of Karnataka and the flows realised at Biligundlu on a day-to-day basis and to report compliance to the apex court.

The DMK contended that Karnataka has failed to comply with the binding directions despite their affirmation by the statutory authorities constituted under the Cauvery Water Management Scheme, 2018.

The applications come against the backdrop of the long-running dispute between the two States over the sharing of Cauvery river waters.

The exchange took place during the debate on the demands for grants for the Prohibition and Excise, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, and Agriculture-Farmers’ Welfare departments in the Assembly. The Deputy Speaker was seen wading into the role of the government when the intervention occurred.

PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani said liquor consumption had become a social problem, affecting women and families and contributing to domestic violence and an increase in young widows. She urged it to take a policy decision on complete prohibition. “The Chief Minister can do it with one signature,” she said.

Ravishankar, who was in the Speaker’s Chair during Speaker JCD Prabhakar’s lunch break, intervened and asked Sowmiya to conclude her speech as her allotted time had ended.

He added that the government would decide on prohibition at the appropriate time and that it cannot be implemented with a single signature.

Aadhav then gestured to Ravishankar to stop making such observations and was heard saying, “Don’t speak. Don’t say all this (stuff).”

Aadhav’s intervention came as the Deputy Speaker weighed in on a policy matter that would require a decision at the government level.

Ravishankar immediately cut short his intervention and gave the floor to Minister P Venkataramanan, who had risen to speak.

The exchange took place during the Assembly debate on demands for grants for the Prohibition and Excise, Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare departments.

TVK member SR Thangapandi alleged that irregularities worth about Rs 200 crore had occurred in the Madurai Corporation and sought to know what action had been taken to recover the amount.

DMK member KN Nehru said action had already been taken against those accused of irregularities during the previous regime, including arrests, and that a related case was before the court. “If there has been wrongdoing in any corporation, conduct an inquiry and take appropriate action. The power and police are with you now,” he said.

Aadhav Arjuna alleged that corruption was not confined to Madurai and said details of irregularities in various corporations would soon be made public.

Law Minister R Nirmalkumar alleged that property tax was not being properly collected from more than 60,000 commercial buildings in Madurai, resulting in an annual revenue loss of around Rs 200 crore. He alleged that some zonal chairpersons and the mayor were sharing the amount.

Aadhav Arjuna alleged that, despite the change in government, the DMK continued to control local bodies and that mayors, zonal functionaries, and other local representatives were not implementing government schemes even though funds had been sanctioned.

Referring to GCC Mayor R Priya, he said she was not cooperating with the government. During the heated exchange, when a DMK member shouted “Panaiyur”, Aadhav Arjuna retorted, “If you say Panaiyur, we will say Gopalapuram.”

He asserted that TVK would secure a 100 per cent victory in the local body elections and said evidence of alleged irregularities would emerge after the party took control of the 25 corporations.

Nehru further alleged that funds for several corporation works had been stopped and urged the government to identify stalled projects and direct officials to resume them. He also said commissioners had the authority to implement government schemes if elected representatives failed to do so.

Expressing deep concern about the missing pilgrims, Maravel Nagappan, the firm owner, said that over 40 yatris from Tamil Nadu had completed the Kailash yatra and were waiting to enter Nepal from the China side when the disaster struck on August 26.

The travel firm owner requested the Central government to get information about the untraceable yatris from the Chinese authorities. “The Kailash yatra, began on August 14,” he said. “My son Sathyanarayana had led the team, and had spoken to Nepalese associates to keep vehicles ready at their end for them, just before the disaster struck.”

Nagappan told reporters that his son had conveyed to the Nepalese travel associates that they may clear the immigration formalities after two hours and accordingly, vehicles should be made available at the Nepal side. “Our group of 49 people were 100% on the China side at that time. We request the Union government to take action quickly and get information from China,” he stated.

At the time of the disaster, 11 teams of Indian yatris, including those from TN, were waiting to enter China from the Nepal side. “You would have seen video clips of two out of three buses getting swept away in the floods and they were among those waiting to enter China,” he said.

At the same time, three teams were waiting to exit China and enter Nepal. He claimed: “Pilgrims who ran away from the immigration building were from our team. We identified them (by scrutinising the video clips) by our signature jerkin with dark blue-grey shades. There are also possibilities for yatris to have survived. All the information related to yatris has already been provided to State government officials.”