Speaking to reporters here, the energy resources and law minister of the TVK-led government in the state alleged that the DMK is "compromising with the state’s welfare for self-preservation".

His remarks come against the backdrop of DMK deputy general secretary and party MP Kanimozhi meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Kumar questioned her statement that she discussed with Birla about the seating arrangements in the House and called it an excuse to mask a political understanding with BJP.

"The DMK’s recent political shift is driven purely by self-interest rather than ideology. The DMK has transitioned from an indirect relationship with the BJP to a direct alliance aimed at shielding family members, political figures, and assets from ongoing legal investigations," Kumar alleged.

Likening the current political scenario to the events of 2001 when the DMK had aligned with the saffron party, he said the DMK was becoming “servile” to the central government to escape legal accountability.

To support his argument further, he claimed that the DMK legislator Anitha R Radhakrishnan had recently said that his party MP Trichy Siva will soon become a Union minister.

He claimed that there is documented evidence — including tender details and financial transaction records — that exposes corruption in TASMAC, the state-run liquor retail monopoly, during the previous DMK regime. He maintained that those involved would not escape legal consequences.

On economic policy, Kumar criticised the previous DMK regime for stalling the state's growth through "behind-the-scene" demands and compulsory party funding, which he claimed deterred major companies from investing in Tamil Nadu. He emphasised that clear and transparent processes are essential for the state to achieve the one trillion USD economy target.

Responding to questions on public concerns of property tax going up manifold in Chennai, the minister clarified that tax rates were not hiked. Instead, the government is undertaking a "re-assessment" drive to rectify past municipal irregularities where commercial properties were severely under-reported under previous administrations.

On the Cauvery water-sharing dispute with neighbouring Karnataka, he highlighted that legal measures are actively being pursued under Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s direction to secure Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of water.

He took a swipe at the DMK, alleging that its leadership had compromised the state's interest in the Cauvery water to protect themselves from the Sarkaria Commission findings.

According to the revised circular issued by the Registrar General of the Madras High Court on Friday evening, the sequence of events will be “singing/playing of the State Song ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’, the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’, hoisting of the National Flag followed by the National Anthem.”

“It is a victory for the Bar. We thank the Chief Justice of Madras High Court for respecting the sentiments of the advocates,” said C Arul Vadivel, president of MMBA.

The revised circular covers the Independence Day celebrations at the Madras High Court’s Principal Seat in Chennai, the Madurai Bench, the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy in Chennai, its regional centres at Madurai and Coimbatore, district judiciary units and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The change came after the presidents and secretaries of all Bar associations met Administrative Judge CV Karthikeyan on Friday morning and requested the inclusion of ‘Tamizh Thai Vazhthu’ in the Independence Day celebrations.

The Madras High Court Registrar General issued a circular on August 13 stating that the Independence Day celebrations would begin with the National Song, “Vande Mataram”, followed by the hoisting of the National Flag and the National Anthem. “We were shocked to find that the circular had not included Tamizh Thai Vazhthu, despite the Tamil Nadu Government recently issuing a GO on August 12 making it mandatory for all educational institutions and public sector organisations to sing it as the first in the events,” said Arul Vadivel.

The MMBA immediately sent a representation to the Registrar General of the Madras High Court, highlighting the recent Tamil Nadu Government GO and the Union Home Ministry letter stating that there was no prohibition on playing or singing Thamizh Thai Vazhthu in the High Court.

The advocates also made it clear that their disappointment was not intended to question the importance of the National Anthem or National Song. “But, on the contrary, respect for the nation and respect for the Tamil language and cultural identity of the State must coexist with equal dignity,” said the MMBA.

She is the second female leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in the history of the TNCC. The first one was D Yasodha, though she was promoted to the position after the death of the then CLP leader, while Tharahai is the first to be directly appointed.

An entrepreneur-turned-MLA, Tharahai represents the Colachel constituency and previously won the Vilavancode assembly seat bypoll after S Vijayadharani crossed over to the BJP.

The change has come after Killiyoor MLA S Rajeshkumar, who was earlier heading the Congress Legislature Party in the Assembly, joined the newly formed TVK-led Cabinet as Tourism Minister. With Rajeshkumar taking up the ministerial responsibility, the Congress leadership has reconstituted its legislative wing in the Assembly and appointed new office bearers.

According to the appointment announced by Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president B Manickam Tagore, Jamal Mohamed Younoos has been appointed deputy CLP leader, while TT Praveen has been named CLP secretary. The appointments were made after obtaining approval from All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge, according to a party statement.

According to a statement issued by the Home Department, 10 police officers have been selected for the Tamil Nadu Police Medal for Excellence in Investigation.

The awardees are Deputy Superintendents of Police C Jaishree, N Tamilarasi, K Alaguraj, and N Thanusiya; inspectors S Latha, M Chithra, R Vinatha and G Mahalakshmi; Assistant Inspector General V Gomathi; and Deputy Commissioner S Vijayakumar.

The government has also announced the Chief Minister's Police Medal for Excellence in Public Service for five personnel. The awardees are DIG V Sasi Mohan, Superintendent of Police D Shanmuga Priya, DSP CMR Manimozhiyan, inspector K Madhan Mohan and head constable M Ravikumar.

The government said the awards would be presented by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay at a function to be held in due course. Each award carries an eight-gram gold medal and a cash reward of Rs 25,000.

Addressing a press conference here, the minister stated that the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the major fund allocation for Mahabalipuram, alongside a separate allocation of approximately Rs 60 crore specifically earmarked for river tourism projects in the state.

Kumar also outlined plans to establish a major integrated pilgrimage tourism circuit connecting prominent interfaith sites across communities, including Velankanni, Nagore, and Thirukadaiyur, for which requisite funds have been designated.

"Tourism is not confined to just a single sector," the minister said, highlighting ongoing state efforts to expand and coordinate medical tourism, agri-tourism, and hill trekking.

Detailed district-wise project allocations will be presented during the Tourism Department’s upcoming demand for grants in the State Legislative Assembly.

To cater to global travellers, the department is actively training and certifying local tour guides to explain the state's destinations in international languages, serving as a direct link between foreign tourists and the tourism department, he added.

Emphasising the state's vision to elevate Tamil Nadu tourism onto the global stage, Kumar said the objective is to ensure visitors experience the region's rich living culture and its archaeological heritage spanning 2,000 to 3,000 years.

The only achievement of the present government was protests by people from various walks of lives, he added while addressing the rally against the State government for its alleged failure to get water from Karnataka for Delta irrigation and offering full waiver on crop loans.

Palaniswami said Delta farmers lost kuruvai as water was not released from Mettur on the customary date of June 12.

Tamil Nadu should have received 9.190 TMC water in the month of June and 31 TMC water in July, but it was not realised due to the incapability of the government. “The month of August is a crucial period for the farmers. Karnataka owes us 45 TMC water but not even a single drop of water was released, which resulted in failure of kuruvai,” he said.

Despite all odds, the farmers cultivated around 2 lakh acre kuruvai using borewells. But the TVK-led government failed to provide uninterrupted power supply, which resulted in the wilting of nearly half of the crops, he charged.

The AIADMK explained the plight of the farmers on the Assembly floor and appealed for kuruvai crop compensation. “But the government was not ready to understand the pain of farmers. Instead, they go on making reels while Chief Minister Vijay is busy shifting his office to a luxurious chamber from the cabin that witnessed historic decisions being taken by stalwarts like CN Annadurai, MGR, M Karunanidhi, J Jayalalithaa, MK Stalin and me,” he said.

EPS demanded the state government to undertake crop loss assessment and disburse a compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre.

He recalled that the then AIADMK government had waived crop loans to the tune of Rs 12,110 crores during two consecutive terms, which benefitted farmers who availed loans through cooperative banks. But the present government has not fulfilled even the poll promises that they had given to farmers on crop loan waiver, he said.

He contacted Amuthan's family, conveyed his deep condolences and assured them that he would raise the issue in detail in the Assembly. He also extended DMK's support to the family until justice is secured in the case.

A 19-year-old engineering student, Amuthan, was allegedly beaten to death by a group of his college mates in Coimbatore on Monday, August 10, following allegations that he was involved in an extortion and mobile phone theft incident.

Amuthan, a native of Kallakurichi district, was pursuing his engineering studies at Hindustan Engineering College in Coimbatore.

Udhayanidhi sought to raise the issue under the Special Calling Attention Motion on Wednesday. Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar assured that the matter would be discussed in detail and that the Treasury Benches would give a suitable reply on Monday.

In a statement, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan said the meeting would be chaired by party president MK Stalin.

This will be the first meeting of the executive committee meeting after the party lost power in the Assembly election.

After the election loss, Stalin had constituted a committee to recommend reforms and restructuring within the party, and recently held discussions with the members of the panel. The executive committee is expected to deliberate on the recommendations and suggestions made by the restructuring committee.

The party leadership is also considering several organisational changes following the election results. One of the key proposals under consideration is the bifurcation of existing party districts and providing opportunities to new faces in organisational positions. However, some district secretaries have reportedly opposed the proposal.

Party sources said the issue is likely to be discussed at length and a decision could be taken at the executive committee meeting.

The leadership is also expected to discuss other organisational reforms aimed at strengthening the party's structure and improving its functioning at the grassroots level.

Thangamani made the comment while leading an AIADMK demonstration at Fort Maidan in Salem, which incidentally is Palaniswami’s home turf, as part of the party’s statewide agitation demanding a complete waiver of crop loans and pressing for Tamil Nadu’s rights in the Cauvery water dispute.

Addressing the party functionaries who assembled for the rally, Thangamani also sought to highlight Palaniswami’s stand on the proposed Mekedatu dam in Karnataka, saying the AIADMK chief had written to the Union government on the issue. “But the TVK government had failed to take the issue seriously despite its implications,” he said.

Targeting the TVK-led government in his speech, Thangamani alleged that several schemes introduced by former chief ministers, J Jayalalithaa and Palaniswami, had merely been renamed and reintroduced by the present government.

“People have now begun regretting their decision to vote for the TVK. This government will not survive for long, and Palaniswami will soon become chief minister,” he said.

He also praised Palaniswami for leading the party and its government, and then protecting it after it was removed from power in the 2021 Assembly elections. This stood in sharp contrast with the accusations by the dissidents, who blamed Palaniswami for being squarely responsible for the AIADMK’s present plight.

Thangamani’s participation assumes significance as other senior leaders of the rebel faction, SP Velumani and Natham R Viswanathan, stayed away from the protest due to differences with the party’s leadership. They had even shot off letters to Palaniswami, copies of which were later released to the media, accusing him of organising the protest in such a way that the dissenting leaders were made in charge of the protests organised away from their strongholds.

When the case came up for hearing on Friday, District Sessions Judge N Muralidharan sought an update on the data retrieved from 19 mobile phones and records from 61 mobile phone towers linked to the case.

The judge questioned why the National Forensic Science Laboratory had not yet furnished its findings and directed the prosecution to submit a written explanation at the next hearing. The court also advised the State government to appoint a special public prosecutor to conduct the case.

Two of the accused, Sayan and Udayakumar, appeared before the court. The hearing was subsequently adjourned to September 16.

The case relates to the break-in at the Kodanad estate bungalow in the Nilgiris on April 23, 2017, following the death of former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The bungalow was reportedly targeted for valuables and documents, and a security guard was killed during the incident.

Ten people have been arrested and charged in connection with the case. C Kanagaraj, a native of Salem who had worked as Jayalalithaa’s car driver and one of the key accused, died in a road accident in Salem days after the Kodanad incident.

In a statement, DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan said the meeting would be chaired by party president MK Stalin.

This will be the first Executive Committee meeting after the Assembly election results. Stalin had earlier constituted a committee to recommend reforms and restructuring within the party and recently held discussions with its members.

The Executive Committee is expected to deliberate on the recommendations and suggestions made by the restructuring committee. The party leadership is considering several organisational changes following the election results.

One of the key proposals under consideration is the bifurcation of existing party districts and providing opportunities to new faces in organisational positions. However, some district secretaries have reportedly opposed the proposal.

Party sources said the issue is likely to be discussed at length and a decision could be taken at the Executive Committee meeting.

The leadership is also expected to discuss other organisational reforms aimed at strengthening the party's structure and improving its functioning at the grassroots level.

The State Government had suspended Anbalagan, Personal Assistant (Land) to the Ramanathapuram District Collector, following his arrest by the CCB on August 4. So far, the police have arrested five persons, including Rajkumar of Pudukkottai, in the case.

Anbalagan and Rajkumar had filed bail petitions before the Madurai Principal District Court. When the petitions came up for hearing before District Principal Judge Sai Saravanan on Thursday evening, Government Advocate P Pandi strongly opposed granting them bail, stating that the charges against them were grave and that granting bail at this stage would hamper the investigation.

Recording the submissions, the court rejected their bail petitions.

According to the police, Anbalagan, while serving as the Madurai North Tahsildar, allegedly removed the temple’s ownership from the revenue records and transferred the patta in favour of Ramaayi Ayyar and eight others on June 24, 2016.

The CCB registered an FIR on July 25 based on a complaint lodged by Chellathurai, Joint Commissioner and Executive Officer of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. The complaint alleged that 19 persons had conspired to illegally transfer the trust property through fraudulent patta mutation, document registration and mortgage.

A will registered in 1930 at the Saidapet Sub-Registrar’s Office states that the Ashoka Vilas Bungalow and its adjoining garden on Alagarkoil Road in Madurai belong to a trust established to render services to the temples. As per the conditions of the will, the property could only be leased out and could not be sold, mortgaged or transferred.

Following the alleged illegal patta transfer in 2016, the temple administration approached the district administration. Former Village Administrative Officer Arasan was placed under suspension, while departmental action and an inquiry by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption were recommended against Anbalagan.

Subsequently, the Revenue Divisional Officer cancelled the Tahsildar’s order, ruled that the property belonged to the trust attached to the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and Alagarkoil, and directed that the patta be restored in the temple’s name.

Expressing grief over the tragedy, the CM had conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and ordered the immediate disbursement of the relief.

The blast occurred on Thursday (August 13) at a privately owned fireworks unit in Sivakasi taluk.

One of the victims, Balamurugan (41), a resident working at the unit, suffered severe injuries and was rushed to Sivakasi Government Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The second victim, Ahmed Ibrahim (66) of Tirunelveli Pettai, also suffered severe injuries and died while being taken to Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Addressing the rally against TVK government for its failure to get water for delta irrigation and crop loan waiver in Thanjavur, Edappadi Palaniswami said, the delta farmers lost kuruvai as water was not released from Mettur on the customary date of June 12. While the farmers were struggling for water, the TVK government was concentrating on releasing reels and fake narratives without concerning about them.

He said that the Tamil Nadu should have received 9.190 TMC water in the month of June and 31 TMC water in July but it was not realised due to the incapability of the government. “The month of August is a crucial period for the farmers and Karnataka owes 45 TMC water but not even a single drop of water was released by Karnataka which resulted into failure of kuruvai in the Delta region”, EPS stressed.

He pointed out that, despite all odds, around 2 lakh acre Kuruvai was cultivated by farmers with the support of borewells but the TVK government failed to provide uninterrupted power supply which resulted into drying up of around one lakh Kuruvai crops out of the two lakh Kuruvai cultivation through borewells.

EPS said that the AIADMK appealed for Kuruvai crop compensation and explained the plights of the farmers in the assembly floor. “But the TVK government was not ready to understand the pain of farmers but went on making reels wherever they go”, EPS charged.

He demanded the state government to undertake crop loss assessment and disburse proper compensation.

He referred that the AIADMK government had waived crop loans during two consecutive tenures and all farmers who availed loans through cooperative banks were benefitted but the present TVK government has not even fulfilled the poll promises given to farmers on crop loan waiver. He blamed the TVK government of cheating the farmers as well as the people from various walks of lives.

While speaking to reporters, EPS said, the 100 days achievement of TVK government is just making reels and changing names with ‘Vettri’ for the schemes that were already existing.

Answering to a query about the absence of senior members in the protest, EPS said that it was an internal party issue. “You can not stop a marriage after hiding a comb”, he quipped.

The 11 brands covered by the order are VSOP Exshaw Gold Brandy, Louis Vernant XO Blended Premium Brandy, McDowells VSOP Brandy (Blended Brandy), No.1 McDowells Fine Brandy (Indian Brandy), Mensclub Deluxe Brandy (Indian Brandy), Honey Bee Fine Brandy (Indian Brandy), Enrica VSOP Select Brandy, Enrica Platinum Reserve XO Brandy, Enrica Premium French Brandy, Veeran Special Brandy and Enrica Old Indie Classic Dark Rum.

TASMAC Managing Director K Nandhakumar has directed all its regional, district and depot-level officials to immediately stop the movement and sale of the affected products.

The action comes after the food safety regulator's inspection of Enrica Enterprises' at Poonamallee in Tiruvallur district on August 11.

Following the inspection, FSSAI issued orders directing that the sale of the identified products be stopped with immediate effect. It also instructed distributors, wholesalers and retailers not to sell the products to consumers.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport before leaving for Delhi, Kanimozhi said there was nothing controversial about her participation in the tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in Delhi.

Asked about her participation in the tea party when parties in the INDIA bloc had boycotted it, Kanimozhi said, “We are not in the INDIA bloc. Only the Congress is currently in the INDIA bloc. We are not.”

Clarifying her participation in the Speaker's tea party, she said the DMK had already requested that its allotted seats in Parliament be changed. “We went there to meet the Speaker in person regarding this,” she said.

Kanimozhi had returned to Chennai from Delhi on Thursday night after the conclusion of the Parliament session. She left for Delhi again on an Air India flight at 8.15 am on Friday.

The circular issued by the Registrar General said the decision was based on an advisory issued by the Government of India under the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026, which commemorates 150 years of “Vande Mataram”. The campaign is being observed nationwide from August 9 to 17.

According to the circular, Independence Day celebrations at the Madras High Court’s Principal Seat in Chennai, the Madurai Bench, Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy, its regional centres in Madurai and Coimbatore, district judiciary units and the Union Territory of Puducherry will include the singing or playing of “Vande Mataram”.

The instruction comes days after the Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a resolution on August 10 stating that Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be sung first at government functions. A day earlier, the swearing-in ceremony of 15 newly appointed judges at the Madras High Court began with Tamil Thai Vazhthu.

On July 10, Chief Minister Vijay distributed appointment orders to 31 relatives of those who died in the stampede on September 27, 2025 at Karur.

The stampede occurred at a rally addressed by Vijay, leaving 41 people dead and over 60 injured.

A bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran issued notice to the petitioners who challenged the government order and others.

"Who are you to question the policy of the government? Suppose the sole member died in the tragedy, shouldn't the government give some employment to son or daughter? the bench told the PIL petitioner who had challenged state government order.

The top court's order came on a petition filed by the State and others challenging the high court's judgment.

The Madras High Court on July 27 had quashed Vijay's order providing government jobs to relatives of people who died in the stampede, observing that it will open floodgates of similar demands.

A division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel of the high court had held that it was not appropriate to overlook the needs of many who are waiting to get compassionate appointments in government departments.

The high court had noted that the exercise of executive power must be within the Constitutional limits.

The high court's Madurai Bench cited instances of loss of lives in accidents at firework units and also due to motor accidents.

In such cases, the kin of victims are provided ex-gratia and not jobs on compassionate grounds.

Also, the court said the order providing government jobs to kin of stampede victims will open "floodgates" for others to seek similar employment.

The counsel for petitioners challenging the government's order had contended that about 3.9 million young people in Tamil Nadu remain unemployed and around two million candidates apply for competitive recruitment exams.

Providing government jobs outside the regular recruitment process was unfair and inconsistent with constitutional principles, they contended.

Advocates attached to the three Bar associations received a circular issued by the Madras High Court Registrar General on August 13, stating that the celebrations would begin with the playing of the National Song, ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by hoisting of the National Flag and the National Anthem.

The circular was issued in accordance with the Union government’s advisory under the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026, commemorating 150 years of the National Song. It covers the Independence Day celebrations at the Principal Seat of the Madras High Court in Chennai, the Madurai Bench, the Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy and its regional centres at Madurai and Coimbatore, district judiciary units and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

“We were shocked to find that the circular had not included Tamil Thai Vazhthu, despite the Tamil Nadu Government recently issuing a GO on August 12 making it mandatory for all educational institutions and public sector organisations to sing Thamizh Thai Vazhthu as the first event,” said MMBA president C Arul Vadivel @ Sekar.

In its representation to the Registrar General, the MMBA also referred to a recent Union Home Ministry letter which, it said, clearly stated that there was no prohibition on playing or singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu in the High Court.

“Omission of the song in the Independence Day celebrations hurts the feelings of all members of the Bar,” the president said.

Following the representation, the presidents and secretaries of all Bar associations met Administrative Judge CV Karthikeyan on Friday morning and requested the inclusion of Tamil Thai Vazhthu in the Independence Day celebrations at the High Court.

Justice Karthikeyan assured the advocates that their sentiments would be given due consideration and that Tamil Thai Vazhthu would be sung on stage.

The Administrative Judge also informed them that the Chief Justice had already directed the Advocate General to confirm the official sequence followed by the State government during the Chief Minister’s flag-hoisting ceremony. He assured the advocates that the same sequence would be followed at the High Court.

The advocates clarified that their objection was not intended to question the importance of the National Anthem or the National Song.

“On the contrary, respect for the nation and respect for the Tamil language and cultural identity of the State must coexist with equal dignity,” the MMBA said.

According to an order issued by the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, around 33,000 schools, from primary to higher secondary levels, operate in rural areas within panchayat limits.

"From the current academic year, from June 2026 to April 2027, the government has allocated Rs 86.94 crore for maintaining school toilets and cleaning classrooms and school premises in panchayat limits," Prashant M Wadnere, Secretary to the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, said.

The allocation will cover the cost of cleaning materials and wages for sanitation staff engaged in maintaining the schools.

According to the department, the monthly requirement for staff wages and the purchase of cleaning materials is estimated at around Rs 7.90 crore.

The initiative aims to ensure a clean and hygienic environment for students in government schools in rural areas throughout the academic year.

Committee members KP Krishnan, Chair Professor of Economics at the National Council of Applied Economic Research, Arbind Modi, Tax Policy Expert, retired IRS officer Najib Shah, Additional Chief Secretary to the Finance Department MA Siddique and Director of the Madras Institute of Development Studies M Suresh Babu participated in the meeting.

Raja Gopal Sunkara, Joint Secretary to the Finance Department and Convener of the Committee, was also present.

The Finance Department constituted the committee to advise the government on measures to augment the State's own tax revenue and non-tax revenue. It will also suggest policy and administrative measures to improve revenue buoyancy, efficiency and financial self-reliance.

The committee will identify new and untapped sources of revenue and examine avenues to increase non-tax revenue, including dividends from Public Sector Undertakings and the monetisation of government land and other assets.

Arappor has alleged that the irregularities were done to level land for a DMK Youth Wing conference held in December 2025.

Arappor Iyakkam conducted a field inspection and estimated that nearly 45 lakh cubic feet of soil was stolen. It pegged the government's loss at over Rs 8 crore and said the act has damaged agriculture and the environment.

Velu has already been booked in a DVAC case based on a complaint from Arappor Iyakkam, which alleged irregularities worth Rs 3.23 crore in Highways Department tender allocations across various districts in the State.

In the present complaint, Arappor Iyakkam contended that Velu misused his position as a minister and caused illegal excavation and removal of lake-bed material from Malappambadi lake in Tiruvannamalai to a depth ranging between approximately 10 to 23 feet (roughly 3 to 7 metres) over an extent of nearly 12 acres, between November 2025 and the first week of December 2025, in active connivance with the concerned Revenue, Collectorate, Corporation officials.

The sand was used to level the property where the Northern Zone Youth Wing Conference of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) was held on December 14, 2025.

The venue, "Kalaignar Thidal" in Malappambadi village, which has an extent of 124.56 acres and on which the conference was conducted, is owned by EV Kumaran, son of EV Velu, according to the complaint.

Citing government rules, the NGO said that the public may be permitted to remove sand, earth or silt from tank-beds under the control of the Public Works Department or local bodies or Revenue Department only for domestic or agricultural purposes or for the purpose of pottery, subject to specified restrictions, including that pits shall not exceed one metre in depth.

"Any removal for purposes other than domestic or agricultural use requires the prior written permission of the District Collector on payment of a fee, and is, in any event, subject to the depth restriction of 1 metre specified in the rule. Even assuming, without admitting, that some permission was accorded, no such permission could lawfully authorise excavation beyond one metre in depth. The excavation carried out- to a depth of 3 to 7 metres - is thus illegal," the complaint stated.

The complaint also contended that local residents and farmers of Uzhavar Urimai Iyakkam who attempted to raise complaints regarding the illegal sand removal were subjected to threats, criminal cases and remand by the local police at the instance of then Minister EV Velu.

A complaint regarding the same was sent to all concerned departments on November 25, 2025, but no action was taken.

The police have initiated steps to arrest the accused.

The accused has been identified as KS Sivakumar, who was recently transferred to the Theni Forest Ranger office as an accountant. The misappropriation is said to have occurred when he was working as an accountant at the Tiruvarur District Forest Ranger Office from 2017 to 2026.

Sivakumar was reportedly charged with misappropriation of the deposits meant for the office by foisting fake documents and bills. During the official audit, it was found that Sivakumar usurped a total of 48.12 lakh (Rs 39.35 lakh in 2025 and Rs 8.76 lakh in 2026).

Based on the complaint by the Forest Range Office Superintendent Kumaresan, Tiruvarur Crime Branch Police registered a case against the accountant Sivakumar.

Sivakumar reportedly misappropriated deposits meant for the office by foisting fake documents and bills when he worked as an accountant at the Tiruvarur District Forest Ranger Office from 2017 to 2026

In view of the cheating case registered against Sivakumar, a departmental inquiry was initiated against him when he was an accountant in the Theni Forest Ranger Office, and he was suspended.

On Thursday, the Tiruvarur District Crime Branch police are in the process of arresting him. Further investigations are under way.

The selection panel, chaired by the Chief Minister, comprises the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Assembly Speaker, JCD Prabhakar. However, the Leader of the Opposition has decided to skip the meeting, according to sources.

The reason for Udhayanidhi's decision is expected to be officially communicated by his side on Friday morning.

Officials recalled that a similar situation arose during the previous AIADMK regime, when then-Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami convened the selection panel to appoint Information Commissioners. The then Leader of the Opposition, MK Stalin, boycotted the meeting and submitted a letter to the government explaining his decision.

Stalin had then alleged that the government had failed to maintain transparency in the selection process.

The present Leader of the Opposition is now expected to follow a similar course by skipping Friday's meeting.

The Tamil Nadu Information Commission comprises a Chief Information Commissioner and eight Information Commissioners. Following the superannuation of Chief Information Commissioner Md Shakeel Akhter and Information Commissioners P Thamarai Kannan, R Priyakumar and K Thirumalaimuthu, five vacancies have arisen in the Commission.

The State government had constituted a search committee headed by retired Justice RS Ramanathan to identify suitable candidates for the vacant posts. The committee initiated the selection process and invited applications from eligible candidates.

After completing the search process, the committee submitted the list of shortlisted candidates to the State government. Based on the recommendations, the selection panel headed by the Chief Minister is scheduled to meet on Friday to finalise the appointments.

In a letter dated July 21, 2026, the Executive Engineer of WRD's Araniyar Basin Division, Chepauk, sought an NOC from the Additional Director of Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare for the "Formation of a New Drinking Water Reservoir in Kovalam Sub-Basin" between the East Coast Road (ECR) and Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) in Chengalpattu district.

The Mamallan reservoir is being developed as Chennai's sixth drinking water reservoir in the Kovalam sub-basin.

The project covers around 5,161 acres and has an annual storage capacity of 2.25 TMC. Former Chief Minister MK Stalin laid the foundation in January 2026, and work has been ongoing for six months, reaching 30 per cent completion.

Environmentalists and social activists have raised concerns about the delayed move to seek NOC and questioned how construction was allowed without obtaining the clearance, as the project potentially impacts fishing resources and local livelihoods.

"The fact that the WRD has approached the Fisheries Department for an NOC only now is an example of how casually the government is handling an environmental project. More than 5,000 people from 13 villages, including Irular tribal communities and several other sections of people, are likely to lose their livelihoods because of this project," Environmental researcher and writer Nityanand Jayaraman told DT Next.

"Although the project has been under implementation for more than six months, the Fisheries department has not opened its mouth on the issue. The letter seeking the NOC was sent on July 21 and, so far, the department has not given any response," the writer added.

He said construction had already begun and ecological impacts had started to occur. "At this stage, even if the Fisheries department wants to act, it is not in a position to undo the damage that has already been caused," he said.

Advocate Vetriselvan of Poovulagin Nanbargal said prior clearances and NOCs from all departments concerned were essential for environmental projects.

"According to Supreme Court judgments, prior clearances and NOCs from all the departments concerned are essential for environmental projects. There cannot be a post-clearance approach for such projects," he said.

He said the WRD seeking the Fisheries Department's NOC only after the Mamallan project had commenced indicated that a proper scientific study may not have been conducted before the work was taken up.

"If the project site is an officially recognised wetland in Tamil Nadu, the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 require an expert committee to examine the project before permission is granted. Such an assessment should have been conducted before the project commenced," Vetriselvan said.

He, however, pointed out that several wetlands in Tamil Nadu have still not been formally notified as wetlands despite their ecological importance.

Candidates can visit www.dge.tn.gov.in to download. They must enter their registration number and date of birth to download scanned copies of the answer sheets for the applied subjects.

Candidates who wish to apply for revaluation or retotalling must visit the same DGE website and download the prescribed application form. The completed application should be prepared in two copies and submitted between 11 am on August 14 and 5 pm on August 17.

As August 15 and 16 are government holidays, they are excluded from the application period.

Applications should be submitted to the respective district assistant at the DGE office. In Tenkasi, Kallakurichi, Tirupattur, Ranipet, Mayiladuthurai and Chengalpattu districts, applications should instead be submitted at the Chief Educational Officer (CEO) office.

The prescribed fee must be paid in cash at the time of submission.

The fee for revaluation is Rs 505 per subject. For retotalling, the fee is Rs 305 for Biology and Rs 205 per subject for all other subjects.

Candidates requiring clarification regarding downloading answer sheet copies or applying for retotalling or revaluation can contact the Directorate through 9498383075 or 9498383076.

The deceased, identified as Rahul (30), was a resident of Baghpat district in Uttar Pradesh and was working as a gatekeeper at the Gopurajapuram railway level crossing near Kumbakonam. He was residing at a house in Papanasam.

On Wednesday late at night, Rahul, who was on duty, closed the gate for the Nagercoil-Tambaram Antyodaya Superfast Express train.

Suddenly, Rahul noticed an elderly person around 60 years old trying to cross the track without noticing the approaching train.

Without any thought, Rahul ran to rescue the old man, but unfortunately they both lost their balance and fell on the track.

The train ran over them, and they both died. The body parts were strewn all along the tracks.

On sensing the incident, the loco pilot alerted the nearest railway station, and the Kumbakonam railway police rushed to the spot and retrieved the bodies.

The police are attempting to identify the body of the elderly person. The train services were affected for more than 25 minutes on the route.

The police said that Rahul got married six months ago and returned two weeks ago after visiting his wife in Uttar Pradesh.

It may be noted that on July 6, Sandeep Sahar, a railway gatekeeper on duty at Arasoor Railway gate in Mayiladuthurai, rescued a boozy pedestrian who tried to cross the railway track without noticing the Mayiladuthurai-Villupuram passenger train.

The pedestrian had a narrow escape thanks to the timely rescue by Sandeep Sahar, and the CCTV footage went viral in the region.

Special teams formed by the Railway Police secured Amarnath from West Bengal and Rajan Kumar from Bihar.

The Railway Protection Force assisted the police in tracing the accused.

The police produced the duo before the Chengalpattu Court, which remanded them under judicial custody.

As per the orders of Chennai City Police Commissioner A Amalraj, Fort St George and its surrounding areas are under a thick security blanket ahead of the CM's Independence Day address.

Additional Commissioners Kapil Kumar C Saratkar (North), KS Narendran Nayar (South) and B Shamoondeeswari (Traffic), along with joint commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, inspectors and other police personnel, have been assigned special security duties.

As a precautionary measure, additional police teams have been deployed at sensitive locations, including Chennai Airport, railway stations, bus terminals, bus and metro stations, shopping malls, beaches, places of worship and other places frequently visited by VIPs. Intensive checks and monitoring are being carried out at these locations.

Searches are also being conducted at hotels and lodges across the city. The public has been urged to immediately inform the police about any suspicious persons or unattended vehicles.

Patrolling has also been intensified across Chennai using four-wheelers and two-wheelers. Barricades have been erected at key locations to conduct thorough vehicle checks, while police personnel have been stationed at major junctions for continuous monitoring.

Malaysia received more than 1.5 million Indian visitors in 2025, making India one of its top international source markets.

South India remains a key market, with Kuala Lumpur continuing to be the preferred destination for many first-time travellers.

The tourism board is also consequently looking to promote destinations such as Langkawi, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak among repeat travellers.

Tourism Malaysia's India Sales Mission Series 2 began in Chennai on Thursday, bringing Malaysian tourism stakeholders, including tour operators, hotels, attractions and airline partners, for B2B meetings with Indian travel trade representatives.

Speaking at the event, "For corporate travellers, the board is targeting companies that send employees on incentive trips, while sports tourism is being pitched around events such as the upcoming Formula 1 and MotoGP in Malaysia.

Eco-tourism is being promoted around experiences such as rainforest trips, trekking and wildlife," said Tourism Malaysia Director General Mohd Amirul Rizal Abdul Rah

The decline in Indian arrivals comes amid a wider impact from the US-Iran conflict on tourism flows. Amirul Rizal said arrivals from the Middle East had fallen, while markets such as Europe, the Americas, Australia, China, Japan and South Korea had recorded increases.

Malaysia is also working on expanding UPI-based digital payments for Indian visitors. An agreement is already in place, but the mechanism for implementing it is still being worked out through discussions and workshops involving banking authorities.

Air connectivity is another area Malaysia is looking to expand. "Discussions are under way with Indian and other airline partners, with potential connectivity to destinations such as Langkawi and Penang being considered.

The official said details would be announced once the plans are confirmed," said Saravana Kumar, Consul General of Malaysia. Malaysia currently has more than 190 direct flights from India every week, with a capacity of over 37,000 seats.

In a statement, he pointed out that, in particular, the business press was not allowed to participate in the event and that the government had not yet released an official list of the 97 MoUs.

According to the information he compiled, Rajaa claimed that nearly 70 MoUs, accounting for around 75 per cent of the investment value and 83 per cent of the jobs, appeared to involve existing companies expanding their operations or investment proposals that had already been initiated during the previous DMK government.

He also claimed that the Rs 1,000-crore investment attributed to Titan was part of the State's existing relationship with the company through TIDCO.

Rajaa said that even if all investments that were new or potentially new were included, they would account for only 24 MoUs, representing around 23 per cent of the investment value and 15 per cent of the jobs, according to his assessment. "An expansion is welcome. A converted investment lead is welcome. Every job is welcome. But an investment already cultivated, negotiated or announced during the previous government cannot suddenly become a new achievement merely because it is presented at a new conclave," he said.

Referring to the resolution, Vijay said it was adopted against the backdrop of the proposed constitutional amendment relating to delimitation.

Recalling the delimitation exercise carried out in 1967, the Chief Minister said the number of Parliament seats in Tamil Nadu was reduced from 41 to 39.

"Any delimitation based on the post-1971 Census that alters the existing strength would cause lasting injustice to the southern states. These states have effectively implemented population-control programmes, achieved good economic growth and carried out healthcare and public welfare measures," Vijay said.

He said that states that had successfully implemented population-control measures should not be penalised by having their representation in Parliament reduced.

Appealing to the Prime Minister, Vijay urged him to consider the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly and introduce the necessary constitutional amendments to protect the existing representation of the states.

The Chief Minister also emphasised the need to ensure that Tamil Nadu's existing 39 Lok Sabha seats are retained in any future delimitation exercise.

The functionaries, who had earlier quit the BJP to join Annamalai's organisation, formally rejoined the party in the presence of Tirunelveli district office-bearers at the residence of BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran.

Welcoming them back, Nainar Nagenthran said the returning cadres had renewed their association with the BJP and wished them success in continuing their public service under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Those who returned included OBC Wing district general secretary S Venkatesh; district secretaries A Pechimuthu, Govind Rajan, S Pattu Raja and H Arumuga Nainar; OBC Wing East Mandal president S Mariswaran; Youth Wing West Mandal president Vel Murugan; and several booth and mandal-level functionaries.

Among them were booth presidents S Rajee, MA Manikandan, Hari Prasad, Sankar, Vicky, S Perumal, C Sudalai Muthu and Senthil Yadav. Other returning functionaries included S Kali Raj, M Mani, B Muthukumar, L Sendu Kumar, N Arunachalam, Satheesh Mahadevan, S Bala, Karuppasamy, S Mariyappan and M Vellapandi.

The return comes after Annamalai's exit from the BJP and the subsequent launch of We The Leaders, which had drawn several BJP leaders and cadres into its fold.

The arrested students have been identified as K Sriram (21), B Harish Pandian (20), and S Lalith Aditya (20). All three are from Madurai and are pursuing their second year at two different colleges.

Amudhan, 19, a third-year engineering student, was killed in the attack. Five people had already been arrested in connection with the murder.

Police are searching for a few more students who were involved in the attack, which was carried out in retaliation for an earlier incident in which Amudhan and eight other students assaulted a group of students at their house in Poonga Nagar and snatched their mobile phones.

In connection with the mobile phone snatching incident, police arrested C Haridass (18), of Perambalur, and S Udhayakumar (18), from Virudhunagar. Both are second-year automobile engineering students at the same college. Further investigation is under way.

The train departed from Coimbatore at around 8.30 pm and was proceeding towards Mettupalayam. When it was nearing Pudupalayam, near Narasimhanaickenpalayam, three boys standing on either side of the railway track began throwing stones at the moving train in an act of mischief.

One of the stones struck the engine and shattered its front windshield before hitting the hand of the loco pilot, Dennis Thomas (50), causing a bleeding injury. He immediately brought the train to a halt at Periyanaickenpalayam railway station.

Mettupalayam Railway Police rushed to the spot and secured the three students, who were still playing by throwing stones across the railway track.

Police said the boys were unaware that their actions had damaged the train’s windshield and injured the loco pilot.

The three boys, aged between 16 and 17, are students of Classes 9 and 10 at Idikarai Government School. Dennis Thomas was taken to the Mettupalayam GH, where he received treatment for his injury.

Mettupalayam Railway Police have registered a case against the three students, and further inquiry is under way.

Balu noted in his plea that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had announced on May 12, 2026, that 717 Tasmac shops located near schools, temples and other public places would be closed.

However, he alleged that several such shops continued to operate and that authorities were attempting to open more shops rather than implement the announced closures.

The petitioner said the Tasmac managing director issued a circular on July 7 launching an online liquor booking portal and prescribing standard operating procedures without any public announcement.

He contended that the scheme was illegal, arbitrary, unjust and contrary to Article 47 of the Constitution. He sought to quash the scheme or declare it illegal and unconstitutional.

Balu further alleged that while Tasmac claimed that only persons aged 21 and above could register on the portal, but the website did not add any further age verification after a user declared that they were above 21.

This, he said, could allow underage persons to use another individual's account to order and purchase liquor, making enforcement difficult.

He also contended that the online pre-booking system would promote liquor sales rather than restrict alcohol consumption and would be detrimental to public welfare.

He questioned the State government's priority in providing high-speed digital infrastructure for liquor sales when citizens, particularly women and senior citizens, continued to wait in long queues at fair price shops and government hospitals without comparable digital facilities.

The matter is expected to be listed for hearing shortly.

The company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tamil Nadu government at the Vetri Tamil Nadu Investment Conclave 2026 here in the presence of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The investment is expected to create more than 500 direct, high-skilled jobs in hardware engineering, power electronics, embedded software and advanced manufacturing over the next three years.

The fresh investment will be used to scale production at Plugzmart's manufacturing facility in Oragadam-Vallam, besides strengthening its R&D capabilities and charging infrastructure ecosystem.

Plugzmart manufactures indigenously engineered AC and DC fast chargers with capacities ranging from 3.3 kW to 360 kW. Its product portfolio also includes ARAI-compliant charger controllers, Power Line Communication (PLC) modules and cloud-based Charger Management Systems (CMS).

"Tamil Nadu has created a strong ecosystem for advanced manufacturing and electric mobility. This investment reflects our commitment to building world-class EV charging technology from Tamil Nadu and supporting India's transition towards sustainable transportation," Co-founder and CEO Vivek Samynathan said.

Co-founder and COO Ragavendra Ravichandran said the investment would enable the company to expand manufacturing, create skilled employment and develop scalable charging solutions for OEMs, fleet operators, charge point operators and public infrastructure projects.

Plugzmart said it works with automotive OEMs, fleet operators, CPOs and public-sector organisations to expand EV adoption through indigenous charging technology.

A Division Bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel issued the direction on a PIL filed by advocate O Homerlal of Kanniyakumari district, seeking to ensure minerals are available to the public at reasonable prices and to prevent the illegal transportation of minerals from Tamil Nadu to other States.

The petitioner contended that financially influential private players who had taken poramboke lands on lease were excavating minerals beyond the permissible limits, causing permanent damage to the State's natural resources.

Though the Department of Geology and Mining had introduced transport passes to prevent such malpractice, minerals were still being transported illegally with the alleged connivance of police personnel and revenue officials, he claimed.

The petitioner stated that official quarry inspections and penalties for illegal mining were just an eyewash, because authorities collected very small fine amounts.

The situation was worse in Kanniyakumari district, as a large quantity of minerals quarried there were transported to Kerala, he contended. Private contractors were modifying tipper lorries to carry loads beyond their permitted capacity, violating RTO norms, and transporting the minerals to Kerala for huge profits.

At the same time, people in Tamil Nadu were finding it difficult to purchase M-sand and stones for construction due to the steep increase in prices, he said.

In view of the situation, the petitioner sought that the State take over the quarrying of rough stones, M-sand and P-sand from private players and entrust the operations to Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited (TAMIN), which is already involved in the excavation of minerals such as granite, graphite and limestone.

This would also increase revenue for the government, he contended.

He contended that his representations to the Secretary, Natural Resources Department, Chennai, and the Director of Geology and Mining, Chennai, seeking government takeover of quarry operations had not yielded any positive response.

Recording his submissions, the court directed the State to file its response and posted the case for further hearing in the first week of September.

A division bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan recorded the Puducherry government's submission that 24 months would be required to complete the exercise and conduct the elections, and closed the petition. The bench directed the government to expedite the process and disposed of the writ petition.

Former MP and Puducherry Maanila Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam president M Ramadoss moved the plea seeking directions to the State Election Commission to notify and conduct local body elections in the Union Territory.

Ramadoss submitted that elections had not been held for over 14 years. He also pointed out that the Puducherry government had appointed a One-Man Commission on December 17, 2021, to assess backwardness and determine the ward-wise proportion of the OBC population in rural and urban areas. The commission was required to submit its report within six months, by June 16, 2022, but it remains pending for over four years.

He further submitted that several representations made to the State Election Commission seeking the conduct of elections had not been considered.

His counsel argued that the prolonged delay had deprived the people of Puducherry of elected local governance and their constitutional right to participate in democracy.

The Puducherry government, however, told the court that it had no intention of delaying the elections and that a legally sustainable reservation framework had to be put in place before the polls.

The Additional Government Pleader submitted that the One-Man Commission had now submitted its report to the government and that it was actively processing the recommendations. He also said the State Election Commission office was currently vacant.

The government sought 24 months to finalise the reservation framework, allot and rotate reserved wards and take consequential steps to conduct the elections.

The BJP chief accused Aadhav of displaying a lack of legislative propriety. In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran said that Aadhav Arjuna's mocking of Bhojarajan was highly condemnable. Calling the remarks unbecoming of a legislator, Nainar said Aadhav should first understand legislative conventions and political developments before making such statements.

He also dismissed Aadhav's contention that delimitation would weaken Tamil Nadu's representation in Parliament. "Saying that Tamil Nadu's MPs will be reduced when their number increases from 39 to 59 is an expression of your ignorance," he said, adding that the State's representation would rise to 7.23 per cent.

Nainar also rejected the minister's argument that the proposed exercise would favour only Hindi-speaking and populous states. He said the Centre's proposal envisaged a 50 per cent increase in representation irrespective of population or language, and therefore would not disadvantage any state.

Pointing to the existing challenges faced by MPs representing constituencies spread across four districts and by those representing constituencies with populations larger than some states, the BJP leader said delimitation could help address such disparities.

"Your freeze-delimitation policy, on the other hand, will ultimately lead to the complete silencing of Tamil Nadu's voice," he added.