Tambaram–Santragachi Express Special will depart Tambaram at 11 pm on October 15 (Thursday) and reach Santragachi at 7.45 am on October 17.

The return service will leave Santragachi the same day at 10.45 am, and arrive at Chennai Beach at 7 pm on October 18 (Sunday).

The train will stop at Egmore, Gudur, Nellore, Ongole, Tenali, Vijayawada, Rajahmundry, Samalkot, Duvvada, Vizianagaram, Palasa, Brahmapur, Khurda Road, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Jajpur Keonjhar Road, Bhadrak, Balasore and Kharagpur.

Over 1.11 lakh in-service teachers failed to clear the exam.

The overall pass percentage stands at 49.34% percent, according to the results released at midnight on Monday. The exam was conducted on July 4 and 5 for in-service teachers working in schools across TN.

Of the two categories, candidates who appeared for the Secondary Grade Teacher (SGT) exam (Paper I) recorded a significantly higher pass percentage than those who took the Graduate Teacher exam (Paper II).

A total of 59,535 SGT candidates appeared for Paper I, of whom 47,628 qualified, registering a pass percentage of 80%. In Paper II, 1.60 lakh candidates appeared, but only 61,153 passed, resulting in a pass percentage of 37.99%.

Consequently, 11,907 candidates who appeared for Paper I did not qualify, while 99,776 candidates who took Paper II failed to clear the TET.

The results show that the pass rate among graduate teacher candidates was considerably lower than that of SGT candidates.

Special TNTET was held for teachers working in government, government-aided and private schools from September 1, 2025, as specified in the notification. “I’m extremely happy to have cleared TET.

The result has given me confidence, as I can now move forward with my professional plans,” said a teacher who qualified in the exam.

Candidates who failed to qualify said they were disappointed but intended to continue preparing for the test. “I was expecting to pass. I now need to identify the subjects and topics where I lost marks and concentrate on improving them.

I plan to follow a more structured study schedule and practise more mock tests before attempting the exam again,” said a teacher who did not qualify.

Candidates who have qualified in the exam can download their TET certificates and e-certificates from the TRB website. The board has stated that the certificates will be made available within 5 days.

In the case of candidates from Puducherry, the TRB said that only their marks would be released by the board. Their TET certificates would be issued by the Puducherry government’s Department of School Education.

A Government Order issued by the School Education Department on October 9 authorised the expenditure, to be met from the revised estimates for 2026-27.

The initiative began in 2022-23, when districts were classified into three categories for funding purposes.

Under the arrangement, A-category districts received Rs 17.5 lakh each, B-category districts Rs 14 lakh each and C-category districts Rs 12 lakh each. The government sanctioned a total of Rs 4.965 crore for the fairs that year.

The programme continued in 2023-24 and 2024-25, with further sanctions for district-level book fairs.

The latest order provides for the fairs to be conducted annually in every district from 2026-27 onwards. The Rs 8.45-crore allocation will cover the expenditure involved in organising the events across Tamil Nadu.

The initiative is expected to expand access to books beyond major urban centres and provide readers, students and publishers across the state with opportunities to participate in literary events closer to home.

Headmaster Ranjit Singh apologised to the parents after police intervened.

The Dasara festival at the Muthuramman temple in Kulasekarapattinam, near Tiruchendur, began with the flag hoisting on October 11. For the festival, devotees from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Tenkasi districts wear sacred bead chains, tie the sacred thread (kappu), observe a ten-day fast and worship the goddess.

According to police sources, Ranjit Singh, headmaster of a government-aided higher secondary school at Athur, spotted the students wearing the chains and tied the kappu, and removed both before coming to school the next day.

It is also alleged that the headmaster himself removed the chain from a student who refused and beat him. The student told his parents about the incident.

Following this, parents and Hindu Munnani members gathered in front of the school on Tuesday morning, raised slogans against the headmaster and staged a protest.

Athur police arrived on receiving information and held talks with them. The police registered a case against the headmaster under Section 295 A of IPC, based on the complaint filed by the protesters.

A special team arrested Ravikumar (52) of Neduvelikkadu, Ernakulam district,Dinesh (52) of Viswapuram, and Abdul Samad (50) of Edakkad, Kannur district. They were remanded in judicial custody.

According to the police, Ananthappan of Tirunelveli received a call from an unknown person on October 6. The caller introduced himself as Sandeep Raj, a senior inspector of the NIA police in Mumbai. He claimed that bank accounts had been opened in six states using Ananthappan’s mobile number and that money had been transferred to Naxal extremists. After creating panic, the caller disconnected the call.

The next day, another person contacted Ananthappan on a WhatsApp video call, introduced himself as a senior police officer and threatened to place him under “digital arrest.” The caller said an Additional Director General of Police named Viswas would contact him soon, and collected his bank account and savings details.

Under the pretext of an investigation, the gang threatened him further and made him transfer Rs 28.50 lakh to a bank account whose details they shared, the police said.

The next day, Ananthappan went near the Tachanallur police station and tried to contact the callers on a WhatsApp video call, but the call was disconnected.

Raising suspicion, Ananthappan told his son and son-in-law, who informed him that he had been cheated. He then filed a complaint with the City Cyber Crime police station.

City Police Commissioner Deshmukh Sekhar Sanjay directed Inspector Anitha to investigate under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Saravanan. The police team rushed to Kerala and arrested the accused.

The court issued the direction while hearing a petition filed by advocate KR Raja of Madurai, who said that of 96 sanctioned posts of probation officers, 32 had been abolished.

At present, only 38 officers are in service, and 26 posts are vacant.

He told the court that the shortage affects the preparation of court inquiry reports, monitoring of those released on probation and prisoner rehabilitation across 38 districts, 219 magistrate courts and 125 correctional institutions.

Though he submitted a representation to the authorities on August 31, he did not receive a proper response.

After issuing the direction, the bench disposed of the petition.

He also criticised the government over its handling of the Mettur dam opening and the difficulties faced by Delta farmers.

In a statement, Stalin said people were angered by what he described as the Food Minister's false claim that prices had not increased, even as the government struggled to keep the cost of essential commodities under control.

He also criticised the government over the power situation, stating that Opposition parties had warned of possible electricity shortages for several months. He alleged that the government had failed to take timely measures to address the issue.

Referring to the proposed purchase of electricity from the open market at Rs 35 per unit, Stalin questioned the decision to cancel power purchase agreements secured at lower rates during the previous DMK regime.

He asked whether procuring electricity at what he described as an unprecedentedly high price was the change the TVK government promised.

Ponmudy had approached the High Court seeking to quash the case registered by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following his acquittal in the predicate offence by the Sessions Court on April 2.

The case relates to alleged illegal red earth quarrying during his tenure as mines and minerals minister from 2007 to 2011. The prosecution alleged that Ponmudy had conspired with his son and others to allot quarry licences to his son, a friend, and his brother-in-law, who allegedly extracted red earth beyond the permitted limits without paying seigniorage fees, causing a wrongful loss of Rs 28.37 crore to the State exchequer.

Ponmudy submitted that the Sessions Court had acquitted him of all charges, holding that there was no link between the grant of the quarry lease and the alleged illegal gain or conspiracy.

Arguing that the PMLA case could not survive after his acquittal in the predicate offence, Ponmudy sought to quash the ED proceedings and an interim stay on further proceedings in the case, which is pending before the Special Court in Chennai at the stage of framing of charges.

After hearing the matter, the first bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan noted that, following the Supreme Court's judgment, the enforcement proceedings against Ponmudy and others could not continue.

When informed that the State government was considering an appeal against the acquittal order, the bench granted liberty to the Enforcement Directorate to proceed in accordance with law if there was any development in the predicate offence.

Speaking to reporters at Anna Arivalayam, Senthilbalaji claimed the current government was procuring electricity at Rs 35 per unit, compared with Rs 20 per unit during the DMK regime.

Taking a swipe at Nirmalkumar, Senthilbalaji said: "His name is not CTR Nirmal Kumar, but Collection Kumar."

During the press meet, he played a campaign video clip of the TVK leader and present Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay criticising the previous DMK regime for purchasing electricity at higher rates.

Senthilbalaji said electricity demand in Tamil Nadu rose from 16,000 MW to 20,830 MW during the DMK regime, while 4,349 MW of capacity was added over five years. Power generation had also increased from 22,000 million units to 29,000 million units during the period, he claimed.

He alleged that the present government was reducing Tangedco's own generation and relying increasingly on private power purchases, particularly from Andhra Pradesh. He questioned why the coal tender process had been halted and urged the government to strengthen its own generation capacity.

Claiming that the DMK government had reduced Tangedco's debt burden from Rs 14,000 crore to Rs 900 crore, he said industries in the Coimbatore region were incurring daily losses of around Rs 10 crore due to power cuts.

He also alleged irregularities in solar power procurement, claiming that a scam involving around Rs 15 lakh per MW has been exposed. Accusing the government of rushing power procurement tenders, he said the electricity department was being made dysfunctional and pushed towards privatisation.

The meeting will be chaired by senior Minister N Anand, who is in charge of the Rural Development and Water Resources departments.

In a letter to district officials, V Amuthavalli, Commissioner of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, said the main focus of the meeting would be to formalise the implementation of the Vetri Tamilagam: Vision Document.

The meeting will also review preparations for the northeast monsoon and the status of drinking water supply in rural areas across 11 districts. The Coimbatore District Collector has been asked to make the necessary arrangements for the regional review meeting.

The letter has been sent to the Collectors of Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Erode, Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Salem, the Nilgiris, Tirupur, Dindigul, Karur and Tiruchy districts.

Officials from various departments have been asked to attend the meeting. Those expected to participate include Additional Collectors, Project Directors of the District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs), Joint Directors of Mahalir Thittam, Executive Engineers, Assistant Executive Engineers and Block Development Officers.

The first regional conference of the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department was held at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai on October 8, 2026, under the chairmanship of Minister N Anand. The meeting reviewed the implementation of the Vetri Tamilagam action plan, the TN-VETRI rural development initiative and the VB-GRAM (G) livelihood scheme.

During the Chennai meeting, the government also issued instructions to officials on Northeast monsoon preparedness, ensuring continuous drinking water supply and preventing dengue outbreaks.

The Coimbatore conference is expected to review the progress of these initiatives and preparedness measures across the western region.

Vijay met Naidu at his residence in Undavalli in Guntur district.

“Tamil Nadu CM Vijay requested the release of additional drinking water to Chennai through the Telugu Ganga project,” said an official release.

Responding to the request, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh would consider releasing additional water based on the availability and requirements, while reiterating the state's commitment to meeting Chennai’s drinking water needs.

“Despite reduced Krishna (river) water inflows due to the impact of El Niño this year and the resulting severe water scarcity, the Andhra Pradesh government remained committed to addressing Chennai’s drinking water needs,” he said.

According to Naidu, Andhra Pradesh has already released 4.08 TMC of water to Chennai.

The two Chief Ministers, along with officials, also discussed several issues of mutual interest.

Naidu underscored the importance of interlinking the Godavari and Cauvery rivers, describing it as a “permanent solution” to drought.

The Tirunelveli Pocso Special Court awarded him four death sentences on August 20 this year after the prosecution proved his guilt.

Abraham had set up a Pentecostal church named Rajaji Raj in Mela Ilandaikulam in 2020. He called the girls to the church on the pretext of teaching them the Bible and hymns and sexually assaulted them, including penetrative assault. The girls had not attained puberty.

Since it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, the children were not attending school. He also threatened them with dire consequences if they told their parents. Two years later, one of the girls told her parents. After the mother lodged a complaint at the Tirunelveli All-Women Police Station, police registered a case against the pastor under the Pocso Act in July 2022 and arrested him.

The police subsequently filed a petition before the Madurai Bench seeking confirmation of the death sentence. The case came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Nirmal Kumar and Gunasekaran.

Abraham appeared via video conferencing from Palayamkottai Central Prison, Tirunelveli. The judges asked him whether he planned to file an appeal and whether he had appointed a lawyer.

Abraham said he would appeal. He also alleged that he was not arrested by the police but by a special team which allegedly beat him severely for two days in a coconut grove.

The judges told him that he could inform the court of any such claim through his lawyer and adjourned the case to October 16.

The burial ground, spread over 50 cents in Nithiravilai in Kanyakumari district, was allotted for residents of the Samathuvapuram settlement. More than 20 people have been buried there so far, according to residents.

The residents alleged that a woman from Poothurai fishing village claimed ownership of the land, damaged the graves and began construction.

When they questioned her, she allegedly argued with them, prompting them to lodge a complaint with the Nithiravilai police.

Police visited the spot, temporarily stopped the construction work and took both parties to the police station for an inquiry.

Residents have sought action against the woman for allegedly damaging the graves and encroaching on land designated for the burial ground. The incident has triggered tension in the area.

They also alleged that the same woman had opposed the burial of an elderly woman at the site a few years ago.

According to residents, she entered the burial pit and staged a protest while the grave was being dug. Police personnel were deployed in large numbers before the burial was eventually carried out.

The grave of the elderly woman has now also allegedly been demolished, residents said.

The Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram scheme was introduced by the DMK government led by former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi after it came to power in 1996.

It aimed to encourage people from different communities to live together by providing 100 free houses in each district, along with facilities such as fair-price shops and milk outlets.

Separate burial grounds were also earmarked for residents. Police are investigating the current dispute.

The victim, Sabarivarman, 34, a differently-abled petty shop owner from Eethankattai near Suchindram in Kanniyakumari district, had been arrested by the Thenthamaraikulam police on July 9 for allegedly possessing banned tobacco products.

He was remanded to the Nagercoil District Prison, where he allegedly died on July 13 after being assaulted by three prison personnel and eight prisoners.

The accused had allegedly tied Sabarivarman’s hands and legs and intensified the assault, resulting in his death

The CB-CID investigation revealed that a prison warden assaulted Sabarivarman on the night of the incident after inmates told him that the victim was shouting inside the cell, demanding to meet his wife and children.

Meanwhile, the eight prisoners had gone for kitchen duty. When they returned, the warden allegedly instigated them to assault the victim again as he persisted in his demand to be allowed to go home.

The accused allegedly tied Sabarivarman’s hands and legs with a lungi and intensified the assault. When the victim managed to free his hands, the accused allegedly became furious, tore the lungi, tied him up again and continued the assault, which resulted in his death, the investigation further revealed.

The Nesamony Nagar police arrested prison warden Jagan, chief warden Suresh, prison guard Sivakumar and eight prisoners: Vishnu, Sarathi, Jagan, Sarath, Perumal, Sethuram, Ajith and Aravind. After the investigation was transferred to the CB-CID, the Nesamony Nagar police handed over all case records to the agency.

The investigators also examined the eight prisoners lodged in Palayamkottai Central Prison and the three prison personnel lodged in Nanguneri Sub-Jail. The trial of the case is being heard in the Nagercoil Judicial Magistrate Court No 1.

Known for his local slang and humorous social media posts, Madurai-based influencer Veeramani recently shared his residential address in West Anuppanadi, hoping a benevolent follower might send him a box of sweets for Deepavali after his request.

However, mischievous followers took advantage of the address to unleash a non-stop barrage of cash-on-delivery (COD) orders.

Delivery agents from e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart flooded his residence carrying expensive electronics, including washing machines, refrigerators, smartphones, and televisions. One high-value order for a television set was priced at Rs 1.69 lakh.

Since Veeramani had neither ordered the goods nor had the money to pay for them, he was unable to accept them or provide the required OTPs to the couriers.

Mischief-makers even posted online screenshots claiming to have placed cash-on-delivery orders for heavy machinery, including JCB excavators and Rs 70-crore military tanks.

Besides home appliances, Swiggy and Zomato delivery persons also arrived at Veeramani's house with food orders.

Upset over the orders, Veeramani uploaded a video from his house, "begging" his followers to stop the pranks, stating, "I am suffering a lot after requesting a sweet box. I bow at your feet... Please stop ordering. I am under severe pressure."

Despite his public plea, the deliveries showed no sign of stopping.

When reporters and other social media influencers visited his Anuppanadi residence, they found the premises locked.

Neighbours confirmed that Veeramani was forced to pack up and leave after being incessantly "harassed" by delivery personnel day and night.

In his recent social media reels, he said, "I am travelling. No one can find my address. Now, no one can control me now."

Till now, the exact whereabouts of Veeramani remain unknown, and calls to his public phone number are blocked.

Addressing reporters after a high-level review meeting with police and transport officials, Minister for Transport A Vijay Tamilan Parthiban on Tuesday outlined the plan to manage crowds and ease congestion in Chennai.

He said that, based on lessons from earlier holiday rushes, the government had set up auxiliary temporary termini alongside the newly operational Kilambakkam bus terminus to decongest traffic and streamline passenger movement.

Kilambakkam will continue to be the main hub for buses to Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Trichy, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Sengottai, Tirunelveli, Salem and Coimbatore, the minister said.

The open space at the CMDA climate park, near Kilambakkam, has been designated for buses to Vandavasi, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai.

A temporary bus stand at Maraimalai Nagar has been set up to handle southbound services to Kumbakonam, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam, he said.

Free MTC shuttle services and mini-buses will operate continuously between Kilambakkam and Maraimalai Nagar to facilitate transfers.

"Koyambedu will continue regular services, supplemented by routes towards ECR, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Bengaluru and Tiruttani, while Madhavaram will handle services towards Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri and Uthukottai," he said.

Responding to complaints about high fares charged by private omnibuses during the festive season, the minister said special RTO inspection teams were monitoring operations.

Operators found overcharging passengers would face strict action, including heavy fines and seizure of vehicles, he said.

A coordination meeting with omnibus owners’ associations had been convened to regulate and cap festival fares, he added.

The minister said the state government had requested unreserved special train services from Southern Railway to major destinations such as Madurai, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam, to give commuters an affordable alternative.

Ayudha Pooja falls on October 19, while Deepavali will be celebrated on November 8.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, said it was the "greatest honour" of his life to serve "Bharat Mata" and Tamil Nadu under his leadership.

"With humility and grateful heart, I therefore request you to relieve me of my responsibility as MoS and permit me to relinquish my membership of the Rajya Sabha, so that I may dedicate full time to strengthening the party in Tamil Nadu," he said.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, Pappathiya (46), a native of Peruvangur in Kallakurichi district, was working as a home nurse when she became acquainted with Venkatachalam (41), a native of Maniyambadi in Kadathur, while both were employed in Coimbatore.

Though both were married to other people, they had been living together for the past six months at a house on Venkatasamy Street in Kadathur.

Nurse beaten to death

According to preliminary investigations, the couple frequently quarrelled over domestic issues.

A few days ago, another dispute reportedly escalated, during which Venkatachalam allegedly assaulted Pappathiya severely.

She sustained serious injuries and died due to excessive blood loss, police said.

Nurse buried in garbage dump

Panicking after her death, Venkatachalam allegedly dug a pit in a nearby vacant plot, buried her body and covered the spot with garbage.

The incident came to light on Monday (October 12) when a foul smell began emanating from the garbage dump.

Suspicious about the source of the odour, local residents alerted the Kadathur police.

Police personnel rushed to the spot and, upon inspection, discovered a woman's body buried beneath the garbage.

They recovered the body and sent it to a government hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Police inquiry begins

During the preliminary inquiry, police identified the deceased as Pappathiya and subsequently brought Venkatachalam in for questioning.

During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the murder and burying her body.

Police arrested him in connection with the case and are investigating the circumstances leading to the killing.

School Education Minister A Rajmohan announced the revised timetable, underlining the importance of physical education in schools.

According to the revised schedule, students in Classes 1-10 will have physical education classes on three days every week, with an additional two days of extracurricular activities, while higher secondary students in Classes 11 and 12 will have two classes a week.

The revision is aimed at ensuring that physical education receives a designated place in the school timetable across classes.

“Regular physical activity is considered essential for students’ physical fitness, health and overall development,” he said. “The department has initiated steps to fill around 6,000 vacant PE teacher posts in the State. The shortage has been a concern for schools seeking to provide students with regular physical training alongside classroom instruction. Filling these vacancies is expected to help schools implement the revised timetable more effectively.”

The revised schedule and the proposed recruitment measures come as the department seeks to strengthen physical education in schools and ensure that students have more opportunities to participate in sports and physical activities as part of their academic routine.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the accused and ordered compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the victim, said a Daily Thanthi report.

Court awards 20-year jail term in Pocso case

The accused, Arumugam, a resident of Muthukrishnapuram in Thoothukudi district, was arrested after the victim’s father filed a complaint at the Valliyur police station.

Police registered a case on September 2, 2022, under kidnapping charges and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Inspector Shanthi, who was then serving at Valliyur police station, investigated the case and arrested the accused.

After completing the investigation, the police filed a final report before the court. The trial was held at the Tirunelveli district special POCSO court. Judge Sureshkumar delivered the verdict after the charges against the accused were proved.

Tirunelveli police praised for investigation

Tirunelveli District Superintendent of Police Vishwesh B. Sastri praised the police officers and legal team who helped secure the conviction.

Those appreciated included Additional Superintendent of Police Shanmugam of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), Valliyur Sub-Divisional Deputy Superintendent of Police Venkatesh, and Inspector Shanthi, who is now serving at the Valliyur All-Women Police Station (AWPS).

Court head constable Indirani and government advocate Usha were also praised for their roles in the case.

22 Pocso cases result in convictions this year

According to the Tirunelveli district police, 22 accused in 22 POCSO cases have been convicted so far this year. Among them, two were sentenced to death, five received life imprisonment until death, two were sentenced to life imprisonment, and one received a 25-year prison term.

The district police said they would continue to take strict legal action against those involved in crimes against women and children, with a focus on ensuring their safety and protection.

A Government Order issued by the School Education Department on October 9 authorised the expenditure, to be met from the revised estimates for 2026-27.

The initiative began in 2022-23, when districts were classified into three categories for funding purposes. Under the arrangement, A-category districts received Rs 17.5 lakh each, B-category districts Rs 14 lakh each and C-category districts Rs 12 lakh each. The government sanctioned a total of Rs 4.965 crore for the fairs that year.

The programme continued in 2023-24 and 2024-25, with further sanctions for district-level book fairs.

The latest order provides for the fairs to be conducted annually in every district from 2026-27 onwards. The Rs 8.45-crore allocation will cover the expenditure involved in organising the events across Tamil Nadu.

The initiative is expected to expand access to books beyond major urban centres and provide readers, students and publishers across the state with opportunities to participate in literary events closer to home.

Responding to criticism over the high cost power purchase, the minister said the state had invited bids for up to 3,500 MW but would purchase only 1,500 MW, depending on the rates quoted and the requirement. The procurement would be limited to 6 pm to midnight, when solar generation is unavailable and demand remains high.

The additional procurement is expected to cost the state around Rs 5 crore a day, as gas-based power is currently available at rates of around Rs 35 per unit. Naphtha-based power, which costs about Rs 47 per unit, would not be considered, he said.

Explaining the need for the procurement, Nirmalkumar said Tamil Nadu's peak demand had risen from 16,800 MW during the corresponding period last year to around 21,700 MW this year, an increase of nearly 30%. Persistent heat attributed to El Niño had contributed to the surge, which had not been adequately anticipated in national-level demand forecasts.

The state was also facing a shortfall of around 4,850 MW from its existing power arrangements. Of this, around 1,850 MW was unavailable from the central allocation, while wind power generation had fallen sharply, with only around 500 MW available against 3,500 MW tied up through existing arrangements.

The minister said the government had explored cheaper sources of power, including procurement from Assam, from where it had tied up 430 MW of thermal power. Tamil Nadu had also attempted to secure power through arrangements with other states, but the available supply was insufficient to meet the shortfall.

“Had we not made these arrangements, we would have been forced to impose power cuts for two to three hours, as several other states have done,” he said, adding that the short-term procurement was intended to prevent interruptions to consumers.

Nirmalkumar said the government would issue tenders this month for long-term power procurement of at least 3,500 MW, with the final capacity yet to be decided. It was also preparing a five-year procurement contract for 1,500 MW to 2,000 MW. The government aimed to secure an additional 6,000 MW to 8,000 MW by 2028-29 to improve supply security.

He alleged that the previous DMK government had not entered into any long-term power purchase agreements during its five-year tenure, leaving the state dependent on short-term procurement. The present government would address the gap through longer-term contracts, he said.

The minister also said the government was working to improve the utilisation of the state's installed thermal generation capacity. Against an installed capacity of around 4,300 MW last year, actual generation during the corresponding period was about 2,200 MW. The current generation had risen to around 4,200 MW to 4,300 MW against an installed capacity of approximately 5,300 MW, indicating improved utilisation.

He said the government was examining ways to revive the Uppur thermal power project, where substantial civil works and equipment procurement had already been completed but the project had remained stalled. A detailed project plan was being prepared, and the equipment would be inspected before work resumed. Restarting the project would help strengthen the state's own generation capacity, he added.

The government was also planning to introduce battery storage and revise its renewable energy procurement policy. Nirmalkumar said new solar applications had been kept on hold for four months while the government reviewed the existing arrangements, citing concerns over alleged irregularities and the need to integrate battery storage.

He alleged that the previous administration had entered into solar power arrangements that resulted in financial losses and said the government was examining legal options in the matter. The revised policy would seek to improve transparency, ensure access to real-time generation data and manage surplus renewable power more efficiently.

Responding to criticism over the high cost of short-term power, the minister said the quoted rates reflected the limited availability of gas-based generation. He maintained that the government was procuring cheaper power wherever possible and would buy the higher-cost supply only to cover the remaining shortfall.

Nirmalkumar also denied reports that existing power purchase agreements had been cancelled after the TVK government took office, saying contracts could not be terminated arbitrarily under the applicable national guidelines.

On the power interruption reported at the Secretariat on Monday, he said the issue was confined to an electrical board on one floor, which had reportedly overheated and was repaired within about 15 minutes. He denied that the incident amounted to a power cut affecting the entire Secretariat and said critical facilities, including hospitals, had redundant feeders to ensure uninterrupted supply.

In a statement, Palaniswami said the reported procurement rate of up to Rs 37 per unit was unprecedented in the history of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board. He warned that the agreement could push the already debt-ridden State further into financial distress.

Palaniswami alleged that the agreement could push the electricity board deeper into debt and set the stage for its eventual handover to private players.

Targeting Chief Minister Vijay, Palaniswami said the TVK, which came to power five months ago, had earlier criticised alleged irregularities in electricity procurement under the previous regime.

However, he claimed that consumers who earlier paid around Rs 1,500 as electricity bills were now paying up to Rs 4,000.

He alleged that the previous government had set procurement rates of Rs 11 to Rs 20 per unit, with a new arrangement that reportedly raised the price to Rs 37 per unit.

Recalling Vijay’s election campaign, Palaniswami said the TVK chief had accused the previous government of corruption in power purchases and promised transparency in procurement and tender processes if his party came to power.

Questioning the government’s commitment to that promise, he asked why Vijay had failed to ensure transparency after becoming Chief Minister.

Condemning the deal, he urged the TVK government to immediately withdraw the decision to procure electricity at the alleged high rates.

Challenging his victory, a voter, P Kamalakkannan, had filed an election petition before the Madras High Court. In this regard, AIADMK MLA C Ve Shanmugam filed a petition seeking the dismissal of the election petition filed against him.

After hearing both sides, Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan allowed Shanmugam's application to reject the election petition and dismissed the case challenging his victory.

CVe Shanmugam, who contested on behalf of the AIADMK from the Mailam constituency in Villupuram district, was declared elected with a margin of 30,041 votes.

The Assembly election results were announced on May 4, with Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) winning 108 seats.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the library has been completed at a cost of Rs 300 crore. A stage will be set up on the premises for the inauguration ceremony.

The library has been built by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department on seven acres of land owned by the Prison Department near the town bus stand on Nanjappa Road in Gandhipuram. Construction began in 2024.

How much did the Periyar Library cost?

Spread across 1.98 lakh square feet, the facility has a ground floor and seven upper floors. Of the total project cost, Rs 245 crore was allocated for construction, Rs 50 crore for purchasing books and Rs 5 crore for e-books. A statue of Periyar has also been installed on the premises.

What facilities will the library have?

The complex is divided into two blocks, A and B.

The ground floor houses:

• A library for persons with disabilities

• A 350-seat auditorium, a science centre with scientific equipment

• A planetarium and a space lift.

On the first floor, there is a reception area along with a Science centre have also been built.

The second floor has a reading area for visitors bringing their own books and a children's library.

The third floor houses a competitive examination training centre, an administrative section and a library.

The fourth floor has sections for history books, Tamil books and periodicals.

The fifth floor houses an English books section and an incubation centre for start-ups, while the sixth floor has an English learning section and an incubation centre.

The seventh floor houses a science centre and a digital library.

What is the inauguration schedule?

Vijay will fly from Chennai to Coimbatore and travel by car to the library in Gandhipuram. He is scheduled to unveil the Periyar statue, inaugurate the library and tour the facility.

The bench of Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan held that the MLAs’ resignations were genuine and that the Speaker was not required to conduct a detailed enquiry. However, it clarified that the resignations would not bar disqualification proceedings and directed the Speaker to complete them within two months.

The court partly allowed a plea filed by AIADMK whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy, challenging the acceptance of the resignations of six MLAs who quit the party after the Assembly elections and joined Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) on the same day.

The six legislators whose resignations were challenged were Maragatham Kumaravel (Maduranthakam), S Jayakumar (Perundurai), P Sathyabama (Dharapuram), Esakki Subaya (Ambasamudram), former Health Minister C Vijayabaskar (Viralimalai) and former Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar (Karur). Two of them, Maragatham Kumaravel and Sathyabama, later contested and won the October 6 bypolls in their respective constituencies as TVK candidates.

Former AIADMK Minister and party whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy and Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi president ML Ravi filed petitions before the Madras High Court, seeking to quash the Speaker’s orders accepting the resignations of the six MLAs.

During the hearing, senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan, appearing for the Speaker, submitted that an MLA could not be compelled to remain in office if he wished to resign. He said the Speaker could only examine whether the resignation was voluntary, while allegations involving ministerial posts, money or horse-trading could be examined only in the disqualification proceedings. He contended that the Speaker had committed no violation and urged the court to dismiss the petitions.

Senior counsel Satish Parasaran, appearing for the resigned MLAs, submitted that resigning as an MLA and subsequently joining another party was part of democratic politics. He also submitted that the MLAs’ resignations could be questioned by voters of their respective constituencies.

Advocate General Vijay Narayan, appearing for the Assembly Secretary, submitted that once the MLAs had genuinely and voluntarily tendered their resignations, the Speaker could not refuse to accept them.

He affirmed that his party would never align with anyone who joins hands with the BJP. Addressing reporters here, Jawahirullah said the DMK and the BJP operate on diametrically opposite ideological planes.

Highlighting DMK chief MK Stalin’s track record, he recalled that Stalin had taken to the streets against the CAA and spearheaded Assembly resolutions opposing the Centre’s Waqf Amendment Bill to safeguard federal and secular principles.

“Our stand is unequivocal. We are rooted in an ideology that upholds the Constitution and secularism. The BJP seeks to undermine the constitutional framework. We will never align with anyone who aligns with the BJP,” Jawahirullah said, rubbishing recent political commentary suggesting potential alliances.

A Division Bench of Justices CV Karthikeyan and R Sakthivel upheld the single judge’s order, observing that the government had a duty to recognise the dedicated services rendered by doctors and should not leave pensioners and their families in distress.

“The Government, as a welfare state, has a duty to recognise the loyal services rendered by a public servant. He had committed himself during service, putting his life on the line while treating patients with infectious diseases,” the court observed.

The judges said the government could not reduce sanctioned pension benefits merely by citing financial commitments towards other welfare schemes.

The bench observed that the government could not take away a portion of the pension through an order lacking statutory authority. It also noted that Rule 56 of the Tamil Nadu Pension Rules, 1978, had not been amended to support the government’s action.

The doctors and family pensioners had challenged a government order issued on February 5, 2025, which sought to restore their pensions to the rates applicable before the revision. A single judge quashed the order on December 16, 2025, following which the government filed the appeals.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the TNSWA to file a report on the proposal and adjourned the hearing to October 12.

CREDAI Chennai has challenged the September 24, 2025, order of the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone), which directed the authorities not to grant any approvals or permissions within a 1-km "Zone of Influence" around the Pallikaranai RAMSAR site.

The association submitted that the adjoining areas are already substantially urbanised, with Metro Rail, IT parks, government offices, public utilities and private patta lands. It argued that a zero-kilometre buffer in such areas would strike a balance between environmental protection and socio-economic realities.

It further contended that the impugned order imposing a ban on activities within a 1-km radius was wholly unscientific and improper, as it resulted in grave civil consequences by freezing vested development rights over vast tracts of land without acquisition or payment of compensation.

The petitioner has sought a stay on the impugned order passed by the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone).

The dismissal of the case as withdrawn is significant, as MDMK chief Vaiko had publicly asked him to resign and recontest with TVK support, while the member decided to stay with the DMK as fought polls under the party symbol.

Challenging his victory, a voter, S Vasu, had filed an election petition before the Madras High Court.

Senthilselvan had also filed a petition seeking the dismissal of the election petition against him. Vasu had earlier informed the court that he intended to withdraw the election petition.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy on Monday, the court permitted the withdrawal of the election petition against Senthilselvan and dismissed the case.

The High Court usually grants 15 days for objections to be raised or for others to file an election petition when a petitioner seeks to withdraw a case.

As no one came forward to challenge Senthilselvan's victory, the court dismissed the case.

In the recently concluded Assembly election, MLA R Senthilselvan, the MDMK candidate who contested from the Sirkazhi (Reserved) constituency on the DMK alliance's Rising Sun symbol, was declared elected with a margin of 11,417 votes.

The petitioner, Advocate K Sivasubramaniam, sought permission to withdraw the petition before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan. The Bench accepted his request and permitted him to withdraw the petition.

Along with the petition over his Assembly utterances, he also sought an independent, thorough, time-bound investigation into the alleged extortion network in T Nagar, Chennai, and regulatory violations involving his educational institutions.

In his petition, Sivasubramaniam stated that during the proceedings and debates in the Assembly on August 24, 2026, Marie Wilson had openly admitted on record that he paid a bribe to a public official/former minister to obtain recognition and permissions for his private educational institution.

He submitted that the alleged admission of bribe-giving by a sitting Cabinet Minister had caused intense public outrage, affected the dignity of the Legislative Assembly and undermined public trust in governance.

Sivasubramaniam further stated that he had sent a formal criminal complaint to the DVAC by speed post on August 27, 2026, seeking registration of an FIR under Sections 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023

However, he alleged that the DVAC had failed to act on the complaint, register an FIR or initiate an investigation against Marie Wilson.

The staff had planned to hold a hunger strike under the leadership of Bharathi, state president of the Uzhappor Urimai Iyakkam. However, police reportedly denied permission for the protest.

Speaking to reporters, Bharathi said, “We came here today to stage a hunger strike. However, the police action has turned it into a protest. The State government should fulfil our demand for permanent employment, as we have been working for several years.”

Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi Stalin strongly condemned the State government for allegedly placing multi-purpose health workers under house arrest ahead of the planned protest, accusing it of abandoning pre-election promises made to medical staff.

In a social media post, he questioned the “atrocity” of detaining workers at their homes before they could participate in what he described as an unprecedented protest.

Drawing parallels with the detention of youth protesting election irregularities in Delhi, Udhayanidhi asked whether suppressing democratic protests without inviting groups such as farmers, students and nurses for negotiations was what the government meant by “change”.

Describing multi-purpose health workers as the “backbone of medical services”, he demanded their immediate release and urged the “Dummy Chief Minister” to initiate dialogue with the workers and take steps to fulfil their demands.

Justice V Lakshminarayanan raised the question after counsel for Anbil Mahesh argued that prior approval under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act had been obtained from the Government Secretary instead of the Governor. The judge then asked why the DMK, which was opposed to the Governor's powers, was keen on a nod from the same gubernatorial head. The judge also asked when Mahesh was intended to file an anticipatory bail petition.

The case stems from a complaint by the former general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association, alleging that its president, BT Arasukumar, and other office-bearers collected money from private schools on the promise of securing no-objection certificates (NOCs), licences, recognition and renewals but failed to fulfil their assurances.

The FIR was initially registered under Sections 316(5) and 318(4), read with Section 3(5), of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Subsequently, the prosecution filed an alteration report before the Metropolitan Magistrate seeking to add Sections 7 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and name Anbil Mahesh as an accused. The former minister moved the High Court seeking to quash the FIR.

In its counter-affidavit, the Chennai Central Crime Branch (CCB) denied the allegation that the case was registered after a four-year delay. It said the complaint was received on June 23, 2026, and the FIR was registered on June 27, 2026.

The CCB said the investigation had revealed that money was collected from school managements in the name of party funds and that material had emerged indicating Mahesh’s alleged role in demands concerning private schools.

Maintaining that the Governor’s approval was not required and that the investigation was ongoing, the CCB urged the court to dismiss the petition. It argued that quashing the FIR or staying the investigation would prejudice the collection and preservation of evidence.

The court posted the matter to October 29, 2026.

The poll panel has sent a letter to all Chief Electoral Officers, stating that it will not entertain claims and objections submitted by post or in bulk by individuals.

Following the SIR process, the Election Commission of India is mulling to organise the SSR across the state. In a month, along with special camps at designated polling booths, the Election Commission will carry out name inclusion, correction, and deletion in the voters' list. Once the process is over, a fresh voter list will be issued in January 2027.

In instructions to Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), the ECI said that every objection to the proposed inclusion or deletion of a name in a constituency's electoral roll should be filed in Form 7.

"Disposal of Form 7 applications will be made only after verification by the EROs. The number of applications an individual elector can file online has been fixed at six at a time. Electors should not submit physical forms in bulk, the ECI said.

Reiterating instructions to EROs on deleting names from electoral rolls, the Commission said that if an ERO notices an objection, the officer should issue a notice to the objector. The officer should conduct a personal hearing and record the objector's statement separately for each Form 7 application.

This is the highest rate to be paid by the State-run utility, which is battling a serious crisis due to delayed monsoon rains and persistent hot weather that is keeping electricity demand unusually elevated.

On October 6, TNPDCL had invited bids to procure 1,500 MW between midnight and 2 am, and 3,000 MW between 6 pm and midnight from October 12 to 31. It accepted bids ranging from Rs 31.99 to Rs 34.49 per unit for the early-morning slot.

Though the evening peak-hour rates went up to Rs 37 per unit, it still received bids for only 2,001 MW - 100 MW at Rs 33.37 per unit, 1,380 MW at Rs 35.92, 340 MW at Rs 35.93, and 181 MW at Rs 37.

A senior official said the State had been witnessing an unprecedented rise in demand, driven by the impact of El Niño. "Though the peak summer period has ended, power demand has gone up by 15% compared to last year. For instance, the State's peak demand stood at 17,887 MW last October, whereas the demand touched 20,060 MW on Saturday (October 10)," the official said.

The official attributed the increase in procurement costs to the end of the wind power season and poor reservoir storage that affected hydel generation.

"All suppliers who participated in the bidding were gas-based generators, hence the high cost of power. On the other hand, unlike coal-based thermal power plants, which have high fixed costs, gas-based generators have minimal fixed costs of less than Rs 2. If demand falls, they can stop procurement and only pay the fixed cost to the generators. In case of a sudden surge in demand, these companies will be able to supply power at short notice," an official said.

While some states have shunned high-cost purchases and are resorting to load shedding, the State government wanted to ensure uninterrupted power supply and was therefore willing to procure electricity at higher rates, he said.

A retired official wondered why the utility waited so long to float bids on such short notice. “If they had floated the bids earlier, they would have got much cheaper power. There is no point in procuring power at such high costs,” the official said.

Sources said that the investigators gave a questionnaire regarding the actions the two officers took after they received the complaint against Veeramani and recorded their responses. The questioning lasted for about three hours, added sources.

Arun, an Additional Director General of Police-rank officer, and Kannan, an Inspector General of Police-rank officer, were transferred and put on compulsory wait last month after media reports emerged that allegations against the granite baron were brought to the notice of the top brass of the city police as early as in November 2024.

The police had eventually registered a FIR in October 2025, but filed a closure report before the special court in February, which was rejected by the court. The police arrested Veeramani and two of his associates in the last week of August.

Meanwhile, the SIT has booked another case against ‘Gem’ Veeramani, raising the number of cases against the businessman to seven.

Questioning the DMK's claims that voter deletions under SIR contributed to its electoral defeat, Tagore said the party had maintained before the election that the revision exercise had been completed successfully without any major issues.

Alleging irregularities in West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra and Haryana, Tagore claimed that Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry had not reported SIR-related complaints.

Tagore further criticised the DMK for not participating in the Delhi protest demanding the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner, even as leaders of the Left parties, VCK and MDMK from Tamil Nadu took part in the agitation and were arrested.

He alleged that the DMK's absence from the protest stemmed from its reluctance to antagonise the BJP. If the party was genuinely concerned about Tamil Nadu's interests, democracy and secularism, it should join the agitation, he said.

In a statement, the DMK alleged that Congress leaders Manickam Tagore, Girish Chodankar and Praveen Chakravarty, who were part of the DMK-led alliance, had made adverse remarks about the alliance and acted as "sleeper cells" during the Assembly elections.

The party said it had no reason to participate in protests organised by the INDIA bloc as it was no longer part of the tie-up. It also said that the bloc had no right to compel the DMK to join its protests.

Questioning Tagore, the DMK said that if he had self-respect, he should ask Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay why he was not participating in protests against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The DMK has described the Congress as a "rotting corpse" and argued that its vote share had declined because it had carried the latter party along with it. The DMK claimed that its support among the people had since increased, referring to the bypoll performance.

Explaining its decision to quit the INDIA bloc, the DMK alleged that Congress leaders had betrayed the alliance and acted against alliance dharma to pursue ministerial posts.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the petition at the grievance day meeting, the drivers said women had stopped boarding autos since the scheme was extended to outstation buses, with a 40 km distance restriction.

If they spot a bus, they immediately give up the idea of taking an auto and board the bus instead, the drivers lamented.

They said nearly 16,000 auto drivers and their families depend on their meagre income of Rs 500 per day to manage household expenses and pay their children’s school fees.

The government should therefore review the scheme in a way that does not affect auto-driver families, they said.

The Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India, 2025-26, published by Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) (Society for Citizens Vigilance Initiatives (SCVI)) in October 2026, found that 27 Information Commissions registered 2,61,669 cases, while 28 disposed of 2,41,627 during the year. The national backlog stood at 3,85,716 cases across 28 commissions.

TN's commission registered 22,946 appeals and complaints and disposed of 23,808 between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Tamil Nadu had the fifth-highest pendency among the commissions assessed.

Though disposals exceeded registrations by 862, the figures do not establish whether its overall backlog increased or decreased during the period.

Maharashtra had the highest backlog at 77,397 cases, followed by Chhattisgarh with 52,559 and Bihar with 42,243. The Central Information Commission (CIC) had 39,121 pending cases, a 62 per cent increase.

Tamil Nadu ranked third in disposals, behind Maharashtra with 54,985 and Karnataka with 38,656.

The estimated waiting time for a fresh appeal was two years and three months at the CIC, compared with one year and seven months in Tamil Nadu.

The projected delay was six years and seven months in Bihar, 18 years in Chhattisgarh, and 19 years and two months in Madhya Pradesh. Fourteen commissions were estimated to take at least a year to dispose of an appeal filed on July 1, 2026.

SNS attributed the delays largely to vacancies in commissions and the slow rate of disposal by commissioners.

The report also identified serious institutional failures in Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh. Jharkhand's and Himachal Pradesh's commissions had been defunct since July 2025.

The assessment also questioned the practice of returning appeals and complaints without passing orders. Nine commissions returned 37,701 cases during the year, including 14,603 by the CIC and 14,140 by Maharashtra. Tamil Nadu reported no cases returned under this category.

The RTI Act does not prescribe a format for filing appeals or complaints. However, the Central Government and some State governments have prescribed formats and accompanying-document requirements through their rules.

SNS argued that deficiencies such as the absence of an index or page numbering should not become grounds for summarily returning cases, and called on commissions to help applicants correct such shortcomings.

Based primarily on 146 RTI applications filed with 29 Information Commissions, along with commission websites, annual reports and court filings, the assessment argued that prolonged delays undermine the RTI Act's objective.

It said the consequences were particularly serious for people dependent on government services who need information to secure basic entitlements.