According to a Daily Thanthi report, 4.6 lakh people have been affected by dog bites and 24 people have died in the first seven months of this year. In the corresponding period last year, 6 lakh people were affected and 34 deaths were reported.

Dog bite cases still remain a concern in Tamil Nadu

Officials said Salem recorded the highest number of dog bite cases at 28,000, followed by Tirunelveli with 23,000 and Thiruvallur with 19,000. Around 20,000 people were affected in both Thanjavur and Coimbatore districts.

The Public Health Department has advised people to complete the four dose rabies vaccination schedule after a dog bite.

Government cites progress in sterilisation drive

A senior government official said the issue was being reviewed every week with district collectors and that Tamil Nadu was following all directions issued by the Supreme Court.

Between January 24 and July 26, Animal Birth Control (ABC) surgeries were performed on 3,38,135 dogs across Tamil Nadu, including 52,226 in Chennai. Officials said this was the highest number of such surgeries carried out.

Vaccination target set for year-end

From January to July this year, 1,68,878 dogs have been vaccinated, and all stray dogs in the State are planned to be vaccinated by the end of the year.

Chennai to expand sterilisation facilities

According to the 2024 census, Chennai has around 1.81 lakh stray dogs, including 3,544 found near schools and colleges.

The Greater Chennai Corporation currently operates stray dog sterilisation centres at 11 locations, including Pulianthope, Kanniammapettai, Meenambakkam, Sholinganallur, Tiruvottiyur, Madhavaram, Kannappar Thidal, Perungudi and Lloyds Colony.

Officials said the city currently sterilises 100 to 110 dogs a day and plans to increase the number to 350 daily.

Meanwhile, four additional Animal Birth Control centres will be opened at Ambattur, Alandur, Perungudi and Sholinganallur.

Quarantine centres for aggressive dogs are also being established at Manali and Perungudi and are expected to become operational within the next two months.

Garbage disposal under focus

Officials said improper garbage disposal continued to attract stray dogs, contributing to attacks. Chennai has 3,204 residential complexes generating large volumes of waste.

The government said fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 are being imposed for violations of waste disposal norms.

He was staying at the Coimbatore refugee camp and had several criminal cases, including theft and attempt to murder, registered at police stations in Madurai, Coimbatore and other places.

He had allegedly travelled from Madurai to the Thangachimadam coast with plans to illegally reach Sri Lanka by boat and then travel onwards to another country.

More than 2,000 fishermen ventured into the sea from Rameswaram in over 400 mechanised boats on Wednesday. While they were fishing in the waters near Katchatheevu, the Sri Lankan Navy, which was on patrol, allegedly chased them away.

The Sri Lankan Navy also arrested nine fishermen who were aboard a mechanised boat owned by Prasanth of Rameswaram, alleging that they had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line and were fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The arrested fishermen have been identified as Arul Loyola, Praveen, Vinoth Vin, Krithisan, Senthil Gayas, Devasagayam, Infant Prasad and two others. They were taken to the Mannar Naval Base late on Wednesday night.

The Mannar court on Thursday remanded all nine fishermen in judicial custody till August 6, following which they were lodged in Vavuniya prison.

Meanwhile, mechanised boat fishermen have also announced a three-day strike from Friday to Sunday, abstaining from fishing to press for the release of the fishermen and the boat.

The action is part of a series of reforms introduced to improve transparency, accountability and service delivery in the department, which handles property registrations and related public services across the State.

According to senior officials, four district registrars, two sub-registrars and five assistants were suspended from service after departmental inquiries found merit in complaints alleging misconduct and violations of service rules.

"The Registration Department has implemented several reforms over the past two months. Based on complaints received from the public, four district registrars, two sub-registrars and five assistants have been suspended from service," officials said.

The disciplinary action is being seen as one of the strongest measures taken by the department in recent months to curb malpractice and reinforce administrative accountability.

Officials said the government would continue to act firmly against erring personnel and ensure that public grievances are addressed promptly. They maintained that the ongoing reforms are aimed at making the Registration Department more transparent, efficient and citizen-centric while restoring public confidence in its functioning.

Under the framework issued by Registrar of Cooperative Societies G Latha, Cooperative Sub-Registrars and field officers at the block level will receive grievance petitions on the first Friday of every month and dispose of them on merit. Petitions that remain unresolved at this stage, along with those submitted directly to Deputy Registrars, will be taken up by Deputy Registrars on the second Friday. Cases that still require intervention, as well as petitions received directly by Joint Registrars, will be heard by Zonal Joint Registrars on the third Friday of every month.

“The objective is to ensure immediate action on grievance petitions through a clearly defined administrative process,” the circular said, directing officers at every level to ensure that petitions are disposed of without undue delay.

The circular also places emphasis on continuous oversight. Zonal officers have been instructed to review the status of all petitions, while Zonal Joint Registrars must submit consolidated monthly reports through the department’s online portal, detailing petitions received, disposed of and pending. The Registrar will review the reports every month to monitor the effectiveness of the new system.

To ensure uniformity in monitoring, the department has prescribed a standard reporting format covering grievances related to loans, consumer affairs, sales, employee service matters, pension benefits, salary disbursal and other issues handled by cooperative institutions.

His arrival plan

According to the plan, he was supposed to arrive in Chennai from Hubballi, Karnataka via a special flight at 11.20 am on Saturday (July 25) and subsequently depart for Puducherry in a special helicopter.

He was then scheduled to return to Chennai on 11.30 am on Sunday (July 26), and rest briefly before boarding a flight to Delhi.

In preparation for his arrival, security arrangements were being made at the Chennai airport. A special consultative meeting regarding security protocols for his visit was also scheduled to take place at the old Chennai airport terminal on Thursday (July 23).

Tense situation at Delhi

The situation in the capital is tense, with police and paramilitary forces being deployed and metro stations being temporarily closed.

Security meeting cancelled

Sources within the Chennai airport security establishment confirmed the consultative meeting regarding security security arrangements which was scheduled for yesterday was also cancelled.

Arunachalam, a resident of the Amuda Nagar area of Thoothukudi, was arrested by the police on July 17 for allegedly selling liquor illegally and was taken to the Thenpagam police station for questioning.

The youth's death

While he was being prepared to be produced before the court from the police station, he reportedly suffered a seizure and fainted, the police said.

He was immediately admitted to the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital for treatment, where he succumbed despite treatment.

The autopsy

Following this, his body was taken to the Thoothukudi Government Medical College Hospital for an autopsy on Friday morning.

Arunachalam's father, Nagraj, and brother, Sudalaimani, came to identify his body before the autopsy began.

A team of post-mortem specialists from Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi began the autopsy in the presence of Thoothukudi Criminal Justice Magistrate Vijaya Rajasekhar.

The entire autopsy is being videotaped.

Arunachalam's family protest

Earlier, Arunachalam's relatives had refused to accept his body and lodged a complaint at the Thenpagam police station, alleging that he died due to custodial assault.

They demanded action against the police officers involved in the incident and that the investigation be conducted by a Judicial Magistrate. They also demanded that the autopsy be videotaped.

He would visit Kanyakumari on August 2 in his capacity as leader of the movement to officially launch the state-wide initiative from the Kanyakumari Beach Road, and initiate a similar drive in Uvari in Tirunelveli district, Manapad and Tiruchendur in Tuticorin district.

Interestingly, Kanyakumari district has registered the highest number of volunteers for the "We The Leaders" that Annamalai had announced on June 5, an insider said.

Following the mega public cleanliness drive inauguration, he would interact with the local fishers during the visit, which is seen as a bridge between environment action, especially combating pollution, upkeep of major tourist and heritage centre in Kanyakumari and Tiruchendur, and strategic political mobilisation, a senior leader told PTI.

Annamalai had announced the launch of the movement in June this year following his exit from the BJP after meeting the top leadership, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital.

He hosted a maiden conference in Pollachi on July 12 focussing on social advocacy and addressing the issue of drug eradication.

The deceased were identified as Gopu (46), his son Dinesh (15), and their relative Ilanchezhiyan (54), who was driving the car, heading towards Chennai airport.

While travelling near Janakipuram on the Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway, a speeding heavy vehicle coming from behind allegedly attempted to overtake their car and collided with it.

The impact caused the car to lose control, crash into the road median and overturn. The lorry driver fled the spot without stopping.

Motorists alerted the police, following which rescue operations were launched. Gopu and Dinesh died on the spot after suffering severe injuries.

Ilanchezhiyan, who sustained critical injuries, was rushed in a ambulance to the Chengalpattu Government Hospital but died on the way.

Police have launched a search for the lorry, which allegedly fled the scene after the accident.

Meanwhile, CCTV footage from the Madurantakam-Tiruchy-Chennai National Highway stretch is being examined to trace the vehicle.

Speaking about the impact of NEET on his family, Manirathnam said, "NEET has destroyed my family."

Anitha's fight against NEET

Anitha, a 17-year-old from Ariyalur, had scored 1,176 out of 1,200 in the Class 12 Tamil Nadu State Board examinations in 2017, with a medical cut-off of 196.75 out of 200. However, after NEET became mandatory for medical admissions, she could not secure a medical seat as she had prepared under the State Board syllabus.

She went on to challenge NEET legally and became one of the petitioners before the Supreme Court, seeking an exemption for Tamil Nadu students.

The court did not grant the relief sought by the State, and Anitha died by suicide at her home in Ariyalur on September 1, 2017. Her death then became a defining moment in Tamil Nadu's opposition to NEET.

Recalling his sister's journey, Manirathnam said Anitha's fight against NEET was deeply personal and rooted in her dream of becoming a doctor despite the hardships her family faced. Manirathnam said Anitha was raised by their father, a daily wage labourer, after their mother died when she was seven. He said her mother's death due to an illness inspired Anitha to pursue medicine.

'Pradhan's resignation is not enough'

Manirathnam also criticised the conduct of the examination, saying, "These NEET irregularities like paper leaks and exam centre allocations (referring to far-off locations and other states being allocated) --- all these small, small mistakes affected 25 lakh people. It is a failure model."

Reacting to calls for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation, he said, "The resignation of the Education Minister is a small step. It is his responsibility, but it is not enough. We want an exemption from NEET. Ban NEET. NEET is against marginalised, economically weaker and rural people."

She was residing at the police quarters in Nallur. “After attending the roll call, she returned home around 10.30 am and locked herself inside. She was found hanging," police said.

Before taking the extreme step, she informed a woman cop, who then alerted other cops staying in the same block. Some cops broke open the doors and rushed her in a critical state to a hospital; however, she died on the way. An investigation is on.

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.

Ramachandran, who hails from Coimbatore, attended the meeting chaired by Palaniswami with district functionaries earlier in the day. However, by the evening, he submitted his resignation letter to the AIADMK leadership, citing dissatisfaction with the party's functioning under Palaniswami.

In his resignation letter, Ramachandran said recent developments within the party were unacceptable. He stated that he had repeatedly conveyed his concerns to the leadership, but no corrective action had been taken.

The son of former AIADMK MLA Singai Govindaraj, Ramachandran contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from the Coimbatore constituency on an AIADMK ticket and finished third.

Meanwhile, former minister SP Velumani did not attend the consultative meeting held with Coimbatore district functionaries. His absence comes amid reports of dissatisfaction after he was not reinstated as Coimbatore district secretary, a post he earlier held. Although he was subsequently appointed deputy general secretary, one of the party's senior organisational positions, his decision to skip the meeting has intensified speculation about continuing differences within the AIADMK.

The meeting was convened to review the party's Assembly election performance and discuss measures to strengthen the organisation. Following the election, several MLAs earlier considered close to the SP Velumani-CVe Shanmugam camp, including Ko Hari (Tiruttani), Mohan (Panruti), Hari Bhaskar (Erode) and Maragatham Vetrivel (Pappireddipatti), have attended meetings convened by Palaniswami. Against this backdrop, Velumani's absence has fuelled speculation over the party's internal dynamics.

KR Periakaruppan had approached the Madras High Court seeking directions to the Chief Election Commissioner, Chief Electoral Officer, Principal Secretary to Government (Elections Department), district Election Officer-cum-Collector (Sivagangai District), Returning Officer of number 185 of Tiruppattur Assembly constituency, and Returning Officer of No 50 Tiruppattur Assembly constituency to secure the postal ballots that were allegedly sent to Constituency number 50 instead of Constituency number 185 (Sivagangai district) and account for them in constituency number 185.

He had also sought an interim injunction restraining TVK MLA Srinivasa Sethupathi from participating in any proceedings of the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly pending disposal of the writ petition. Further, he sought a direction to the Returning Officer of Constituency number 185 to produce the video footage of the mandatory reverification process.

In view of the trust vote scheduled for May 12, a special Sunday hearing was held on May 10. On May 12, the vacation Bench of Justice Victoria Gowri and Justice Senthilkumar restrained Srinivasa Sethupathi from participating in the floor proceedings, holding that Periakaruppan had made out a strong prima facie case.

Aggrieved by the interim order, Sethupathi approached the Supreme Court, which stayed the High Court's order, describing it as "atrocious."

When the matter came up for hearing, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that the Supreme Court had permitted Periakaruppan to withdraw the writ petition pending before the High Court after he had filed an election petition challenging the victory of TVK MLA Sethupathi.

Taking note of the Supreme Court's order, the Division Bench permitted Periakaruppan to withdraw the writ petition and dismissed it as withdrawn.

Talking to reporters at Kamalalayam after leading a protest against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Nainar alleged that the Opposition was deliberately politicising the issue despite the Centre having acted against those responsible for the examination irregularities.

Referring to the NEET controversy, he said the examination was introduced during the Congress-led UPA regime in 2012 and accused the DMK of having remained silent then. Rejecting allegations that the BJP was responsible for bringing NEET, he said the National Investigation Agency had exposed the paper leak, those involved had been arrested, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had already apologised to students after the re-examination.

Nagenthran further said future NEET examinations would be conducted through a computer-based system to eliminate the possibility of malpractice. "Rahul Gandhi is hiding behind those protesting against NEET even after action has been initiated against the offenders. The people protesting in Delhi are not genuine students. They are rowdies from the Northeastern States and are creating disturbances," he alleged.

His remarks came against the backdrop of sustained protests in the national capital demanding accountability over the NEET issue and the resignation of the Union Education Minister. Rahul Gandhi, along with Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and other party leaders, had recently staged a protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence before being detained by the police.

Nainar also targeted the ruling TVK government over ministers attending screenings of CM C Joseph Vijay's film Jana Nayagan. In a swipe, he said, "There is no Jana Nayagam (democracy) in the government, but ministers have assembled in theatres for a film titled Jana Nayagan." With the State Budget scheduled to be presented on August 5, he alleged that the government was neglecting farmers, particularly those in the Cauvery delta, while its ministers remained preoccupied with the film.

A Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and S Sakthivel passed the interim order while hearing a public interest litigation alleging rampant illegal sand mining in Melur, Thiruvadavur, Idaiyapatti, Kidaripatti, Poigaikarapatti, Ilanjipatti and Sathirapatti.

According to the petitioner, illegal quarrying has been carried out on government poramboke lands and tank areas without any statutory permission. It was alleged that soil had been excavated beyond a depth of 30 feet, severely affecting groundwater levels and destroying natural water channels originating from the Alagar Hills forest area, thereby impacting irrigation.

The petition further alleged that more than 250 lorry loads of sand were being transported every day with the connivance of officials of the Revenue and Geology and Mining Departments using forged transport permits. Despite complaints to the district Collector and departmental authorities, no effective action had been taken, it was submitted.

During the hearing, the petitioner's counsel produced photographs, videos and drone footage purportedly showing large-scale illegal mining over the past week.

After examining the material, the Bench questioned the State as to how heavy earthmovers and numerous lorries could operate on such a scale without the knowledge of the authorities.

The judges observed that complaints to the police were routinely redirected to the Revenue Department and vice versa, while no criminal action had been initiated against those allegedly involved in the illegal mining.

Stating that the court could no longer remain a silent spectator to the plunder of natural resources, the Bench directed that "No quarrying or sand excavation should be permitted in the identified areas until further orders. It also directed the district Collector to intervene immediately and ensure implementation of the order."

The Bench cautioned that failure to take prompt action could compel the court to direct the personal appearance of the district Collector.

The court further directed the Collector, officials of the Geology and Mining Department and the police to file a compliance report by July 30. It warned that if illegal sand mining continued in the meantime, stringent action would be ordered against the officials concerned. The matter was then adjourned.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench of Justices K Karthikeyan and S Sakthivel while hearing a batch of petitions, including Kathiresan from Madurai, which sought a direction to register criminal cases against those allegedly responsible for the police firing on protesters demanding the permanent closure of the Sterlite Copper plant. The unit was alleged to have illegally dumped immense quantities of hazardous copper slag and gypsum at multiple unauthorised open-air sites, which obstructed natural waterways and caused local flooding. The petitioner alleged that plainclothes marksmen were deployed in violation of established police procedures and that protesters were shot at vital parts of their bodies.

Appearing for the petitioner, counsel submitted that only one police inspector had been named in the charge sheet and that a protest petition challenging the investigation was still pending. The counsel further submitted that although the Aruna Jagadeesan Commission had recommended payment of Rs 50 lakh as compensation to each bereaved family, only Rs 30 lakh had been paid. The criminal trial was also progressing at a slow pace, the counsel said.

During the hearing, the Bench wondered whether a single police inspector could, on his own and without any orders, have taken a firearm and shot 16 persons. The judges also questioned the delay in the CBI investigation and the progress of the trial.

The Bench directed the State government to file a response detailing the action taken on the recommendations of the Aruna Jagadeesan Commission, the departmental action initiated against the police and revenue officials allegedly involved in the incident, and whether the government proposed to form a committee to implement the recommendations of the commission.

Education was, likewise, a State subject under the former Entry 11, subject only to the Union’s power under Entry 66 of the Union List to coordinate and determine standards. The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976, altered this balance by transferring education, including medical education, to the Concurrent List under Entry 25.

Thereafter, expansive Union legislation and broad judicial interpretations of Entry 66 steadily enlarged central control over domains previously within State competence. The Supreme Court-created All-India Quota deepened this erosion by diverting seats in medical colleges established and funded by States to central counselling, weakening the connection between medical education and local health needs, particularly in rural areas.

National examinations such as NEET and the proposed NExT, fiscal conditionalities, and micromanaged Centrally Sponsored Schemes have further accelerated this centralising drift.

National Medical Commission

This trend culminated institutionally in the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act, 2019, enacted under Entry 66 of the Union List, and presented as a historic reform of medical education and professional regulation. Its predecessor, the Medical Council of India (MCI), had forfeited public confidence through pervasive corruption, conflicts of interest and weak accountability, prompting the Parliamentary Standing Committee’s 92nd Report of 2016 to call for comprehensive restructuring.

Yet, by replacing the flawed but participatory MCI with the tightly centralised NMC, the Parliament introduced a different infirmity: a profound federal imbalance in medical education and professional regulation.

The MCI was broadly representative. The Union, States, university medical faculties, State Medical Councils and nationally elected medical practitioners enjoyed distinct and continuing channels of institutional participation. Its president and vice-president were elected by the council.

The NMC marks a decisive transition from an elected regulator to a selected one. All its 33 members — Chairperson, 10 ex officio members and 22 part-time members — are appointed by the Union government. Three part-time members are centrally selected experts. The remaining 19 — 10 nominees of States or Union Territories and 9 of State Medical Councils — are chosen by rotation and draw of lots for two-year terms. Several States therefore have no vote in the Commission at any given time. Major medical hubs such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana may remain excluded for years. In 2025, administrative delay in conducting the draw left the NMC without any State representation for six-and-a-half months.

The Medical Advisory Council under Sections 11-13 includes nominees from every State and Union Territory, State Medical Councils, and other institutions, but it’s merely advisory. The NMC is neither bound by its recommendations nor required to explain their rejection.

In the Constituent Assembly, Dr BR Ambedkar defended Entry 66 as conferring only the ‘limited extent’ of power needed to coordinate institutions and prevent standards from declining. Yet the NMC now enables the Union to control courses, seats, admissions, licensure, infrastructure, faculty, hospital facilities, clinical material, and teaching requirements — matters far beyond the framers’ conception of Entry 66. Section 45 makes Union policy directions binding on the NMC, while Section 46 empowers the Union to issue directions to State Governments for implementing the Act.

This arrangement sits uneasily with India’s federal structure. States bear the burdens of healthcare delivery, expenditure and democratic accountability, yet are reduced from constitutional partners to intermittently consulted subjects.

Centralisation has not eliminated corruption; it has merely created a single window for rent-seeking. In July 2025, after the CBI booked 34 persons, including NMC and Union Health Ministry officials, for alleged bribery in medical-college approvals, The Lancet questioned the Commission’s transparency, accountability and ethical governance, calling it a rebranded version of its discredited predecessor.

Evidence of outcomes

In the QS World University Rankings 2026 for Life Sciences and Medicine, no Indian institution entered the global top 200. AIIMS New Delhi ranked 217, Manipal Academy of Higher Education 286, University of Delhi 399, and PGIMER Chandigarh was in the 451–500 band. By contrast, the global top 200 included 47 institutions from the US, 13 from Germany, 9 from Canada, and 8 from Australia.

Hospital rankings tell a similar story. In the Newsweek-Statista ‘World’s Best Hospitals 2026’ list, only four Indian hospitals entered the global top 250: Medanta, Gurugram (rank 110), AIIMS New Delhi (115), PGIMER Chandigarh (214), and CMC Vellore (245).

According to WHO and OECD statistics, India’s doctor-population ratio, counting only MBBS doctors, is around 0.7-0.9 per 1,000 people, below the WHO norm of one doctor per 1,000 and far behind the US (2.7), Germany (4.6), Canada (2.9), and Australia (4.2).

World Bank and OECD data show that India averages only 1.6 hospital beds per 1,000 people, with just 0.50 in government hospitals. The corresponding figures are: USA (2.7 total, 0.57 public), Germany (7.5, 3.60), Canada (2.5, 2.48), and Australia (3.8, 2.50).

These disappointing outcomes show that centralisation and regulation have delivered neither excellence nor adequate capacity in India’s health sector.

Standards & permissions

The NMC Act distributes regulatory functions among four autonomous boards: Under-Graduate Medical Education Board, Post-Graduate Medical Education Board, Medical Assessment and Rating Board, and Ethics and Medical Registration Board.

Section 28 requires prior permission from the Medical Assessment and Rating Board to establish a new medical college, commence a postgraduate course or increase seats. This converts standard-setting into a centralised approval regime. But national standards do not require every proposal from colleges, universities and States to travel to the NMC or its Boards for prior sanction.

Once the NMC prescribes minimum norms, universities or State authorities should be empowered to approve compliant proposals and mandatorily intimate the Commission. The NMC should retain the power to modify, suspend or cancel approvals that violate its standards, and do sample inspections and audits.

Such a model would preserve national standards while reducing delay, cost, duplication and bureaucratic congestion. The same separation of standards from permissions should govern other Union regulators operating under Entry 66, including the UGC and AICTE.

No grants

Unlike the UGC and AICTE, the NMC is not a grant-giving body. It prescribes standards imposing substantial capital and recurring expenditure on public institutions and may penalise non-compliance, but contributes nothing towards meeting those costs.

Even the grant-giving role of the UGC and AICTE has contracted sharply. For example, UGC’s total grant disbursal fell from Rs 8,905 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 3,336 crore in 2025-26, overwhelmingly favouring Central institutions. During this period, grants to State universities and colleges declined from Rs 1,185 crore (13.3% of the total) to a mere Rs 62 crore (1.9%).

Especially worrying is the Union’s extension of the NMC model to general higher education through the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (VBSA) Bill, 2025, which seeks to merge UGC, AICTE and NCTE into a single regulator. The VBSA, however, is not conceived as a grants commission; it would regulate without carrying a developmental purse. This raises a basic question: can national standards be sustained through unfunded mandates?

The same concern animated the Constituent Assembly’s debate on Entry 66 of the Union List. PS Deshmukh, a member of the Constituent Assembly, called it “hopelessly ill-conceived” and argued that compulsory standard-setting would “acquire legitimacy only if accompanied by block grants and regular grants-in-aid.” He noted that mature federations avoided top-down commands unbacked by fiscal aid. Naziruddin Ahmad, another member, was emphatic: “Finance is the essence of the matter. In fact, if the Centre should interfere in education, which is essentially provincial, it should be by financial assistance, not merely by advice gratis or by criticism or comments.”

India cannot hope to regulate medical education and hospitals into excellence while starving them of funds. Rules cannot replace resources. Without grants, both the NMC and the proposed VBSA risk becoming cures worse than the disease.

The way forward

The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee on Union-State Relations has therefore recommended restoring education, including medical education, to the State List, aligning it with the tier delivering public health. The Union’s role under Entry 66 should be limited to broad minimum standards, without intruding upon State authority or university autonomy.

Weaker State institutions should be strengthened through capacity-building and greater financial support, not centralised control. Every State and Union Territory with a legislature should enjoy permanent representation in the NMC.

A nation cannot command its institutions to become world-class; it must give them the resources, and the freedom, to become so.

(The author is a retired IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, former Vice-Chancellor of Indian Maritime University, Chennai, and Member, High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations constituted by the Government of Tamil Nadu)

The police denied the allegation, maintaining that he had collapsed on his own inside the station lock-up and had no external injuries during his medical examination.

According to the police, a case was registered against Arunachalam on July 17 under Sections 4(1)(a) and 14A of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act after he was allegedly found in possession of 120 liquor bottles (180 ml each) during an enforcement drive.

Police said all legal procedures relating to the arrest were followed, including videographing his personal search and serving an arrest intimation on his family. He was taken to the hospital at around 5.50 pm for a medical examination, where the attending doctor certified him fit and recorded no external injuries, police claimed.

A senior police officer said Arunachalam was then brought back to the station to complete legal formalities and kept in the lock-up with other accused persons. While conversing with fellow inmates, he suddenly collapsed, an incident captured on CCTV, the officer added.

Police personnel immediately provided drinking water and first aid, and called his mother, who was waiting at the station. As his condition appeared normal, he was released on station bail and allowed to leave with his family for a further medical check-up as a precaution, police added.

Relatives later informed the police that Arunachalam had collapsed again near the hospital and was admitted for treatment. "During treatment, he underwent a medical procedure. However, he died on July 23," the officer said.

Arunachalam's family disputed the police account, alleging he sustained head and leg injuries after being assaulted by four policemen during interrogation. Claiming the injuries led to his death, they demanded action against the personnel involved.

Police torture proof in video clips, allege kin

The relatives of Arunachalam, who staged a protest outside the hospital, cited video clips in which the deceased victim allegedly spoke of police torture. They insisted that action be taken against the police personnel before accepting the body, following which Deputy Superintendent of Police (Town) Sunil and other officials held talks with the protesters.

"A special team picked up Arunachalam near a tea shop and assaulted him. Even at the station, he was subjected to custodial torture," alleged I Aseer, state coordinator of the Joint Action Against Custodial Torture (JAACT).

He questioned why the police failed to produce Arunachalam before a Judicial Magistrate after the initial medical examination. "If he fainted at the station as claimed, was it not the duty of the police to admit him to the hospital directly instead of handing him over to his mother?" Aseer asked.

The relatives later met the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police to demand action and a transparent post-mortem examination.

Judicial Magistrate-III Vijay Kumar visited the hospital, spoke to the relatives, and examined the body preserved for the post-mortem.

JAACT members also submitted a representation to the Magistrate, requesting adherence to the Madras High Court guidelines laid down in Santhosh vs District Collector, Madurai to ensure fairness. "Video footage and the post-mortem report should be handed over to the family," JAACT members said.

The Judicial Magistrate informed JAACT that the post-mortem would be conducted on Friday strictly following court guidelines. The procedure was scheduled for Friday as a panel of three doctors, required under the rules, could not be constituted immediately.

Police said a case has been registered based on a complaint lodged by Arunachalam's father, and further investigation is underway.

The action follows complaints that some households and commercial establishments have been drawing water illegally from the municipality’s main and distribution pipelines using motor pumps, putting additional pressure on the town’s already limited water resources.

The municipality supplies drinking water to residents through 10 major sources, including Parsons Valley, Tiger Hill and Marlimund reservoirs. However, water levels in these sources have declined significantly due to poor rainfall.

“Parsons Valley, the municipality’s primary water source, currently has only around 40% of its storage capacity, affecting the civic body’s ability to maintain regular water supply. To prevent illegal extraction, municipal officials have been instructed to intensify inspections. Households found using motor pumps to draw drinking water from pipelines will be fined Rs 5,000, while commercial and other non-residential establishments will face a penalty of Rs 25,000,” Commissioner S Parthasarathy said. Repeat offenders will be liable for further action under the relevant provisions of the Municipal Act, he warned.

The water shortage has already affected supply to several elevated areas of Ooty. Therefore, the municipality is taking measures to improve distribution by linking pipelines from low-lying areas and supplying water through tankers to affected localities. 

In view of the prevailing situation, it has also been decided to revise water supply from daily to once every four days until water availability improves, the Commissioner said.

The arrested persons, A Arockiaraj (39) of Madurai and C Suresh (49) of Tiruchy, are relatives of Arasakumar, police said. Despite having no connection with the education department, the two of them had allegedly collected money from managements of schools on Arasakumar's behalf, police said. Arasakumar has been detained under the Goondas Act. The police also said that since Arasakumar's arrest, they have identified over 61 bank accounts used for these transactions and have frozen them. They have taken statements from administrators of over 120 private schools and 190 witnesses so far.

Arasakumar, a resident of Saligramam, had scammed the schools for the past two years using an unregistered outfit named  "Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association". He promised several private schools that he would secure permanent recognition, school upgradation, DTCP/CMDA approvals, and other statutory clearances by using his political and bureaucratic connections, according to the complaint filed by the secretary of the Federation of Association of Private Schools in Tamil Nadu. However, he failed to deliver the promised approvals or refund the amount and allegedly swindled over Rs 100 crore.

A Pudukkottai native, Arasakumar was a DMK member between 1990 and 2000, and served as the District linguistic wing president of the party between 1995 and 2000. He later shifted allegiance to the BJP and, in 2019, he returned to the DMK.

When the matter came up for hearing before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, Public Prosecutor John Sathyan submitted that three DNA forensic laboratories are currently functioning in Tamil Nadu, including one in Chennai, and that two more laboratories are proposed to be established to strengthen forensic capabilities.

He further submitted that the State government has been taking intensive measures to curb crimes against women and children and that adequate funds would be allocated to strengthen judicial infrastructure.
During the hearing, the bench observed that a High Court committee is already monitoring the progress of trials in cases involving crimes against women and children.

The bench further observed that the large pendency of cases before the Special Courts makes day-to-day trials impracticable and noted that advocates often sought adjournments. Recording the State government’s assurance that the proposed measures would be implemented, the court said it would pass a detailed order.

The case arose from a petition filed by a woman who travelled to Tiruvannamalai from Andhra Pradesh on September 29, 2025, alleging two police constables intercepted their vehicle and took her and her mother separately on patrol motorcycles on the pretext of inquiry. The cops allegedly took them to a secluded location. The mother had jumped off the bike, but the constables had allegedly raped the petitioner.

The petitioner submitted that although the charge sheet was filed on November 4, 2025, the trial has not yet commenced. She alleged a systemic failure in ensuring speedy trials for survivors of sexual assault and contended that the prolonged delay could lead to witness intimidation and violate her fundamental right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.

The 67-kilometre project, estimated to cost Rs 986.35 crore, has featured in Railway planning documents for several years. The Erode–Karur doubling, along with the Salem–Karur–Dindigul and Katpadi–Villupuram doubling projects, had remained stuck at the DPR stage for seven years despite recurring allocations in successive Railway Pink Books.

The section forms part of the rail link connecting western Tamil Nadu with Tiruchy and the southern districts. Despite being a single-line section, it carries trains bound for Erode, Tirupur, Coimbatore and Salem, besides several inter-state services to Kerala and Karnataka, making it one of the busiest corridors in the region.

However, the lack of a second line has long been cited as a constraint in introducing additional train services. Passengers have long disdained delays in train arrivals and demanded more trains for western destinations including Pollachi.

Earlier this year, commuters staged a rail roko at Kulithalai railway station, alleging persistent delays on the Tiruchy–Karur route and demanding infrastructure improvements to ease congestion.

Meanwhile, the DPR for the Tiruchy-Karur doubling project has been submitted and is expected to be fast-tracked for sanction given its importance in providing freight movement to Karaikal.

The Lok Sabha reply also states that Tamil Nadu has 19 sanctioned railway projects worth Rs 27,282 crore, including eight doubling works.

In 2019, a PIL was filed by Kaliyamurthy from Thanjavur with the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, stating that the idols of Indira, Yama, Niruthi and Kuberan had gone missing and the respective sanctum sanctorum remained closed for years.

The litigant also appealed to the court to order a verification by an expert team and ensure the restoration of the idols.

The bench comprising Judges CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel, who heard the plea, ordered the Thanjavur HR&CE Joint Commissioner and Assistant Superintendent Officer of ASI and Hereditary Trustee of the Big Temple to conduct a joint inspection and submit a report by July 28.

Following the order, the ASI Tiruchy Region Superintendent Aravazhi, Assistant Superintendent Vettri Selvi, HR&CE Joint Commissioner Gnanasekar, Palace Devasthanam Hereditary Trustee Babaji Rajah Bhonsle conducted an elaborate inspection in the sannadis.

The Trustee Babaji Rajah Bhonsle noted that four Ashtatik Balakar idols had gone missing several years back. Based on the court orders, the next course of action on the same would be initiated, he said.

Separate orders issued by district collectors, including Chennai Collector S Malathi Helan, said the revised wage rates would come into force with effect from April 1, 2026, and remain valid till March 31, 2027. The revision is applicable to all establishments covered under the Minimum Wages Act.

According to the order, the revision has been carried out based on the average Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers released by the Labour Bureau, Chandigarh. For Tamil Nadu, the CPI is calculated based on data from seven centres Chennai, Coimbatore, Coonoor, Madurai, Salem, Tirunelveli and Virudhunagar.

The revised rates cover 87 scheduled employments, including government offices, construction activities, shops and commercial establishments, hotels, hospitals, security services, tailoring units, printing presses, automobile workshops, hairdressing establishments and several other sectors.

The Collector directed all departments and employers to ensure that workers are paid not less than the revised minimum wages. Heads of departments have also been instructed to obtain specific government approval wherever the remuneration of full-time employees paid from contingencies requires revision.

Among the major revisions, the daily wage of a skilled assistant has been increased from Rs 556 to Rs 823. Casual labourers' salary will now be Rs 767 per day, up from Rs 475, while the daily wage for cleaners has been revised from Rs 637 to Rs 904. Officials said several other skilled categories have also received corresponding increases linked to the CPI.

The Chennai district administration has also revised the minimum wages for workers employed in hairdressing establishments. The wage for a haircut with shaving has been increased from Rs 155 to Rs 158, while the wage for shaving alone has been revised from Rs 53 to Rs 54. The revised rates will be applicable throughout the current financial year.

On July 19, the Forest Department lodged a complaint with the Tirupattur Town police stating that 55 red sanders logs, valued at about Rs 50 lakh, had been stolen from the depot on the night of July 18.

The special teams are questioning Forest Department staff, timber traders and known offenders.

Meanwhile, DFO Mahendran on Wednesday suspended five personnel - single-lock officer Jothilingam, forest guards Mohankumar, Ramamoorthy and Renu, and forester Paramaguru - for alleged negligence.

Addressing an anti-NEET protest in Chennai, Ranjith said the nationwide student agitation had gathered unprecedented momentum, with members of the public joining demonstrations across the country. He said the movement had reached a stage where civil society, students and cultural personalities were coming together against the medical entrance examination.

Ranjith said filmmaker Vetrimaaran was among the first to urge collective action against NEET, while actor Revathi had also expressed her willingness to participate in the campaign. He said the protest was organised as the first public programme of the newly launched Neelam Students' Organisation after consultations with its office-bearers. He also thanked actor Sathyaraj for extending support through a video message.

Saying the recent visuals of police action against student protesters prompted him to participate, Ranjith said public support for people's movements would eventually expose what he described as false allegations levelled against activists. Referring to B.R. Ambedkar's philosophy, he said he did not believe in constantly proving himself before critics.

Praising the "Karappan Poochi" movement, Ranjith said it had succeeded in mobilising large numbers of young people despite attempts to ridicule it. Rejecting criticism that Generation Z lacked political awareness, he said society had failed to politically educate young people and build sustained movements despite several student deaths linked to NEET over the past decade.

He alleged that NEET reinforced social and economic inequalities by favouring students with greater financial resources while disadvantaging those from marginalised backgrounds. He also criticised what he described as persistent misconceptions surrounding reservation and argued that inequalities within the examination system were rarely questioned.

Ranjith said the slogan "Jai Bhim" had emerged as a unifying call transcending caste identity and credited the ongoing student protests with bringing Ambedkar's ideals to the forefront of a nationwide movement for equality.

The filmmaker also criticised the government's response to Dalit issues, referring to the delay in unveiling an Ambedkar statue in Salem and the arrest of protesters. Questioning the silence of Dalit ministers on such issues, he demanded that the government inaugurate the statue and withdraw criminal cases against those arrested.

Accusing successive governments of compromising on caste and social justice issues to protect their political interests, Ranjith said governments should prioritise equality over electoral calculations. He reiterated his support for the anti-NEET movement and appealed to the State government to join students in intensifying the campaign for the abolition of NEET.

The minister said this while inaugurating a special training and awareness camp for more than 1,500 vendors from Tiruvallur district. This programme is part of the government’s food safety and hygiene initiative.

Noting that 50,000 street food vendors have registered across Tamil Nadu so far, Minister Arunraj said this marked a significant milestone in bringing the largely unorganised sector under the food safety framework. The next priority, he said, was to ensure every registered vendor consistently adhered to hygiene and safety standards.

"Nearly 50,000 street food vendors have registered across Tamil Nadu. Our objective is to instil public confidence that food served by them is safe, clean and hygienic," the Minister said. He added that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had stressed the need for structured training programmes to improve food handling practices, use of clean ingredients, and overall food safety compliance.

The model food streets initiative would be expanded to other districts in phases. He also warned that stringent action would be taken against vendors and food manufacturers found using prohibited substances in food preparation.

The minister later distributed food safety registration certificates, food safety training certificates and medical fitness certificates to participating vendors, besides handing over five food carts sponsored by private companies.

In a statement, Stalin said the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had rejected Tamil Nadu's request to direct Karnataka to release Cauvery water, alleging that the Authority had failed to appreciate the State's urgent requirement.

Criticising the state government's handling of the issue, Stalin said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay should have met the Prime Minister to press Tamil Nadu's case. He alleged that neither the Chief Minister nor the Water Resources Minister had taken up the issue with the Union government.

He further alleged that the Chief Secretary had also failed to raise the matter with his Karnataka counterpart or the Union government.

Expressing disappointment over what he termed the government's silence on the issue, Stalin questioned why the Chief Minister had not strongly asserted Tamil Nadu's rights over Cauvery water.

"The Chief Minister has not even taken steps to hand over the Assembly resolution to the Union government. Why is he reluctant to question Karnataka for refusing to release Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water?" Stalin asked.

He urged the state government to immediately approach the Supreme Court to secure Tamil Nadu's share of Cauvery water and take urgent measures to protect farmers.

Efforts are under way to revive discussions with the Tamil Nadu government on the Dhanushkodi rail link destroyed in the 1964 cyclone.

The Southern Railway General Manager RN Singh, who inspected the ongoing station redevelopment works at Rameswaram on Thursday, said only about 4-5 per cent of work is pending and the station is expected to be commissioned by the end of September, an event the Prime Minister Narendra Modi will likely attend.

The Chennai–Rameswaram Vande Bharat service is likely to be introduced in September or October, he confirmed, adding that the final route is yet to be decided. The Southern Railway is also planning to introduce more long-distance trains to Rameswaram, he noted.

The redeveloped station, he added, has been equipped with additional platforms, pit lines and other infrastructure to handle a higher number of trains in the future.

The Southern Railway also plans to revive talks with the Tamil Nadu government on the long-pending Dhanushkodi rail link, seeking environmental clearance for the project. The project was stalled as the state government had earlier withheld clearance over ecological concerns, and it remains to be seen whether that stance has shifted.

On the fate of the century-old Pamban rail bridge, the general manager said the structure had deteriorated significantly and was no longer safe to retain.

There have been demands to preserve it as a heritage monument with public access, but the Railways cannot risk keeping the rusted structure standing, he highlighted. Instead, the Railways is considering installing a smaller replica of the historic bridge near Ramanathapuram after dismantling the original, he added.

In addition, RN Singh, along with Shri Balak Ram Negi, DRM/Tiruchy, and branch officers, inspected passenger amenities at Tiruvarur Junction and reviewed the progress of redevelopment works at Thanjavur Junction.

The book was released by IIT-Madras Director Prof V Kamakoti in the presence of senior railway officials and guests.

Speaking at the event, he said leadership extends beyond academic qualifications and rests on three core pillars of character, integrity, wisdom and the ability to inspire others are equally important in shaping effective leaders.

The book draws on his experience in the Indian Railways and discusses leadership, decision making, governance, project management, and organisational management.

TNPSC Chairman SK Prabakar said the notification would be released as scheduled in the Commission's 2026 Annual Planner and would spell out the posts on offer, eligibility norms and the total number of vacancies.

"The complete details, including the posts and vacancies, will be available in the notification. Vacancy positions are still being received from various government departments. Hence, the exact number cannot be announced now," Prabakar told reporters here.

The TNPSC head also noted that works were ongoing to fill a sizeable number of vacancies in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board via the Commission. Once the requisitions are received, those posts will be included under the appropriate recruitment stream - Group II, Group IIA, Group IV or the Combined Technical Services Examination, depending on their nature.

Prabakar said the Commission remained committed to its recruitment calendar. "We are determined to issue notifications on time, conduct examinations as scheduled and declare the results at the earliest," he said.

The recruitment assumes added significance after Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay recently reviewed the status of vacancies with Human Resources Management Minister D Sarathkumar and senior officials. According to government sources, the Chief Minister directed all departments to accord top priority to filling vacant posts.

With departments now forwarding vacancy details to the Commission, officials expect the upcoming Group II notification and the Group IV recruitment, scheduled to be notified in October, to feature a substantially higher number of vacancies than initially anticipated.

When the bail petition filed by Markandayan came up for hearing before Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan, Public Prosecutor John Sathyan sought time to file a response to the plea. Accepting the request, the Judge adjourned the matter to July 27.

A public meeting was held near Krishnan Temple in Kovilpatti on July 18, 2026, to thank voters on behalf of the DMK. During the meeting, Vilathikulam MLA Markandayan allegedly made threatening remarks against Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay while addressing the gathering.

According to the prosecution, the MLA allegedly used insulting language and issued criminal threats, including statements suggesting that the Chief Minister would be confronted inside the Legislative Assembly and physically harmed if certain actions were taken.

Following a complaint lodged by S Balasubramanian, TVK district secretary, Thoothukudi North, the Thoothukudi police registered a case against Markandayan under Sections 351 (3), 352, and 353 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Meanwhile, Markandayan has moved the Madras High Court seeking bail. In his petition, he contended that the Thoothukudi police arrested him without issuing a notice under Section 35 (3) of the BNS and without affording him an opportunity to appear before the investigating officer.

He further submitted that he is an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly representing the Vilathikulam constituency and is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation. Being a public representative, he stated that he is required to attend to the day-to-day affairs and welfare of the constituency. He, therefore, sought to be enlarged on bail and to set aside the remand order passed by the Judicial Magistrate-I, Thoothukudi.

Over 100 protesters were detained by the police.

Members of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), farmers' organisations and women's groups attempted to enter the railway station. They demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET question paper leak, sought the cancellation of the NEET examination, condemned the alleged assault on students participating in the protest in Delhi, and demanded Rs 1 crore as compensation for those injured in the police crackdown in the national capital.

Police personnel led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Inigo Divyan were deployed in large numbers around the Tiruparankundram railway station to foil the rail roko. Barricades were erected on roads leading to the station, and security was tightened to prevent protesters from entering the railway premises.

Despite the security arrangements, a group of protesters breached the barricades and attempted to reach the railway tracks. They were stopped by the police near the station.

Later, another group of protesters arrived on the Palakkad–Tiruchendur Express and got down at Tirupparankundram railway station. When the train halted to allow passengers to alight, the protesters entered the tracks and staged a rail roko by sitting in front of the locomotive, disrupting the train's departure for about 10 minutes. Some protesters also climbed onto the locomotive and raised slogans. Police personnel rushed to the spot, removed the protesters from the tracks and detained them. Brief arguments broke out between the protesters and the police during the eviction. Following their removal, the train resumed its journey.

Police detained 24 male students, 12 female students and eight members of a women's organisation who participated in the rail blockade. More than 65 others who staged a demonstration in front of the Tiruparankundram police station were also detained.

The detained protesters were taken to a nearby marriage hall and were later released, police said.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the train, which departs from Jalpaiguri at 4.45 pm, will now arrive at Tirunelveli railway station at 9.50 pm on the third day of its journey, 10 minutes earlier than its existing scheduled arrival time of 10 pm.

The train will continue to halt at Tirunelveli for five minutes before resuming its journey towards Nagercoil. With the revised timing at Tirunelveli, the train is expected to reach Nagercoil Junction at 11.05 pm, five minutes later than its earlier scheduled arrival.

Southern Railway said the change has been made as part of a revised timetable and urged passengers travelling on the route to take note of the updated timings while planning their journey.

Jana Nayagan, billed as Vijay's last film before entering full-time politics, hit theatres worldwide on Thursday after overcoming several hurdles. With the film also being his first release after assuming office as Chief Minister, fans and TVK cadres celebrated its release across Tamil Nadu with banners, fireworks and music performances outside theatres.

While Vijay watched the film at Tagore Film Institute in Adyar, Chennai, on Wednesday night, Minister Mohamed Farvas watched the first show at a theatre in Pudukkottai.

Moved to tears

During Vijay's introductory sequence, Farvas was seen sobbing inside the theatre and wiping away tears. Those present at the screening said the emotional moment coincided with the opening montage that showcased scenes from Vijay's three-decade-long film career.

Farvas, who was elected from the Aranthangi Assembly constituency, had earlier served as a district and State-level office-bearer in Vijay's fan club before entering electoral politics and becoming a minister.

Videos of the minister's emotional reaction have since gone viral on social media, drawing mixed reactions and triggering debate online.

He demanded that the Centre identify gaps in the supply chain, and explain the corrective measures and fix the accountability.

"Merely announcing fast-track courts will not really solve the systemic problems. There are specific reasons why these leaks are happening regularly because of the commercial angle of the coaching centres. There's an incentive for them to show inflated results. So, they are willing to indulge in all kinds of unscrupulous practices by encouraging paper leaks and initiating paper leaks," Karti told PTI videos.

Also, the fault lies with the system of NTA and agencies which run the exam, as the paper leaks are happening, he said.

"This fast-track court is only post fact. After an illegal act happens, they apprehend the perpetrators and take them to court. But this will not stop the league itself. They must say where is the chink in supply chain by which the leak is happening and how they are correcting it, those sponsible for it and who are they holding accountable," he said.

The MP criticised the government's response to the NEET exam row and stressed on fixing the onus rather than merely announcing setting up fast-track courts.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressed that the welfare and interests of the country's youth was the top priority of the government and anyone trying to harm their future will not be spared.

Amid continuing protests by youths over the NEET paper leak, the prime minister said that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds of 40-50 kmph is likely at one or two places over the Western Ghats districts on Friday and Saturday. Similar weather is also expected over Cuddalore, Villupuram, Chengalpattu and Tiruvannamalai districts, besides Puducherry. The rest of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal may receive light to moderate rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds.

On July 26, light to moderate rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds is likely over the Western Ghats districts, coastal Tamil Nadu, north interior Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, while isolated places in the remaining districts may receive light rain with thunderstorms.

From July 27 to July 29, light to moderate rain is likely at isolated places over the Western Ghats districts, while the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are expected to receive light rain at isolated locations.

Temperature to remain above normal in some districts

The RMC said there is no significant change expected in maximum temperatures across Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal between July 23 and July 27. However, maximum temperatures are likely to remain 2-4 degrees Celsius above normal at isolated places in Erode, Karur, Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli districts. Elsewhere in the State, temperatures are expected to remain near normal.

Chennai forecast

For Chennai and its suburbs, the sky is expected to remain partly cloudy on Friday, with light to moderate thunderstorms likely in some parts of the city during the evening or night. The maximum temperature is likely to hover between 37 and 38 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature is expected to be around 27-28 degrees Celsius.

Fishermen advisory

No warning has been issued for the Tamil Nadu coast until July 26. However, on July 27, squally winds reaching speeds of 45-55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph, are likely over the Tamil Nadu coast, Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area.

Over the Bay of Bengal, squally weather is forecast over the Andaman Sea and adjoining east-central Bay on July 26, extending to the south Andaman Sea, southeast Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea on July 27. Strong winds are also expected over parts of the Arabian Sea through July 27.

The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the identified sea areas during the warning period.

The panel will begin collecting details of temple properties and submit a comprehensive report to the government soon, sources said.

The move comes in the wake of an alleged Rs 100-crore land scam involving 1.4 acres belonging to the renowned Arulmigu Shri Dhandayuthapani temple in Palani that surfaced in July, prompting a high-level probe by the Crime Branch-CID.

As part of the investigation, CB-CID officials conducted searches at several locations linked to officials and individuals accused of fraudulently registering the temple land, estimated to be worth Rs 100 crore, for just Rs 2 crore.

Official sources here on Thursday said the probe would be conducted transparently and that anyone found involved in irregularities relating to the registration of temple property would face legal action.

A senior official said the investigation would examine unauthorised ownership transfers, manipulation of land records, illegal encroachments and undervalued land registrations.

"The investigation team will comprise officials from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE), Registration and Revenue departments, besides officials from the collector's office," he said.

After the Madras High Court on Wednesday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of K Vellathurai of Tirupur, the prime accused in the alleged fraudulent registration of 1.4 acres of prime temple land, another petitioner moved the court seeking a CBI probe into the alleged land grab.

In a related development, Vinoth Suryakumar, who was booked for allegedly defaming HR&CE Minister S Ramesh in connection with the Palani temple land dispute, was granted conditional bail by the High Court.

Without directly naming the national test for medical aspirants, the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader and Rajya Sabha member alleged it was a rotten system where "anxiety replaces curiosity" and "criminality replaces merit."

In a post on 'X,' Haasan said: "We should have listened when one child cried. Instead, we waited until far too many of our children died. A system where coaching replaces learning, anxiety replaces curiosity, and criminality replaces merit is rotten.

A nation has failed when its children are met with barricades and batons instead of answers. @Wangchuk66, the nation will need your conscience for the journey ahead. Please end your fast. To the children of India: You are the best of us. You have done your duty. It is now time for the country to do its duty by you. May your dreams forever be bigger than our failures."

Palaniswami described the incident as shocking and alleged that it reflected the poor maintenance of government hospitals under the present TVK government.

He questioned what explanation the government had for the elderly woman, who had sought treatment at a government hospital but allegedly suffered such an incident during her stay.

The AIADMK leader urged the government to ensure the woman received proper medical care and adequate compensation.

Palaniswami also criticised the state government, alleging that while people were facing hardships, ministers were preoccupied with watching the first show of the film Jananayagan and posting selfies on social media. He further claimed that several ministers, including the Chief Minister, had taken time off to watch the film.

AIADMK to stage protest against hydrocarbon project

In a separate statement, Palaniswami announced that the AIADMK would stage a protest in Cuddalore against the proposed hydrocarbon project along the Parangipettai coast.

He said the protest would urge the government not to grant permission to Hindustan Oil Exploration Company to establish hydrocarbon wells and extract crude oil along the Parangipettai coast in the Chidambaram Assembly constituency.

Palaniswami said the protest would also condemn the TVK government for allegedly engaging in horse-trading by persuading MLAs elected on AIADMK tickets to switch allegiance.