Justice V. Lakshminarayanan raised the question while hearing a petition filed by Chief Minister Vijay seeking dismissal of an election petition filed by a voter challenging his victory from the Perambur Assembly constituency.

The judge also questioned whether Vijay’s failure to disclose Rs.30 crore worth of assets in his election nomination papers could amount to a corrupt practice when he had already declared assets worth around Rs.600 crore.

In the May 2026 Assembly election from Perambur, Vijay secured 1,20,365 votes, while R. D. Shekar secured 66,650 votes. Vijay won by a margin of 53,715 votes. Voter S. Dinesh filed an election petition challenging Vijay’s election from the Perambur constituency.

Subsequently, Vijay filed a petition seeking dismissal of the election petition filed against him.

During the hearing, counsel for petitioner Dinesh submitted that candidates must not furnish false information or suppress material facts in their nomination papers. However, details of a property worth around Rs.30 crore in Panruti were allegedly suppressed in Vijay’s nomination papers. Documents, including the survey number and sale deed, were also placed before the court.

It was further submitted that the petition contained specific allegations supported by evidence and not vague claims. The petitioner’s counsel also pointed out that Vijay had declared the purchase of 50 cents of land at Vilpatti village in Kodaikanal, whereas Revenue Department records showed it as government poramboke land.

The judge orally remarked that Vijay, being a popular actor, would have had several properties and questioned whether he himself would have prepared the list of assets. The judge noted that Vijay would have likely relied on a Chartered Accountant and questioned whether the election could be set aside if the CA had missed some assets.

The court further questioned whether non-disclosure of Rs.30 crore worth of assets could amount to corrupt practice when Vijay had already declared assets worth around Rs.600 crore.

The court also asked whether such non-disclosure would have made any difference to a voter who had already decided to vote for Vijay, particularly whether a Perambur voter would have changed their decision over the failure to disclose Rs.30 crore worth of properties.

Owing to allegations of a shortage of Aavin milk across Chennai and neighbouring areas, Chief Minister Vijay visited the Madhavaram Milk Dairy, which is under the control of the Department of Dairy Development.

During his visit, he inaugurated the annex building of the Central Laboratory for the State government, which was constructed for Rs 2.23 crore.

This laboratory caters to the needs of Tamil Nadu cooperative societies and district-level milk producers, who can obtain accurate test results in accordance with international standards.

The Chief Minister also visited the Madhavaram Milk Dairy unit, which handles 4.50 lakh litres of milk per day.

He also reviewed the ongoing construction work at the Madhavaram Milk unit and instructed officials to expedite the work within the stipulated time.

Minister C Vijayalakshmi, MLAs M L Vijay Prabhu and N Senthilkumar, and Secretary to the Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Department Anu George participated in the review meeting.

The row erupted after packaging bearing dosage instructions in Tamil, English, and Hindi reached patients at state-run medical facilities, drawing sharp criticism from political leaders.

The issue further escalated after DMK leader T R B Rajaa shared photographs online showing the medicine covers distributed at the Karur facility, accusing authorities of covertly enforcing a three-language policy within the public healthcare network.

"It seems like the three-language policy is being implemented in Tamil Nadu hospitals too! First Karur...Now the same situation in Coimbay as well..." the former minister said on his "X" social media platform.

The hospital authorities, however, said the controversial packaging was neither new nor recently procured.

They further clarified that the sponsored pouches printed via Chinthamani Cooperative Society have been in continuous use for over 18 months, including during the previous administration's tenure.

The officials also confirmed that immediate directives were issued to halt further distribution of the trilingual covers upon discovering the oversight.

Tamil Nadu strictly adheres to a two-language policy using only Tamil and English in state education and public administration. It firmly rejects the Centre's three-language formula.

Such measures could provide 207-253 MW of flexibility during the evening peak hours between 6 pm and 10 pm, said a study by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology, and Policy (CSTEP), adding that another 60-73 MW could be made available during the morning peak.

However, this does not mean the State will permanently save 253 MW of electricity. Instead, consumers can change the time at which they use electricity. For example, geysers and washing machines can be used during periods when demand is lower, while offices can pre-cool buildings before the evening hours when the load peaks.

The study estimates that these measures could shift or save around 156 million units (MU) of electricity a year and provide an estimated benefit of Rs 313 crore annually by reducing power purchase costs, transmission losses, and the need for new capacity.

The study comes at a time when Tamil Nadu's power demand has been rising steadily. Peak demand increased from 16,386 MW in FY20 to 20,830 MW in FY25. It stood at 20,211 MW in FY26 and is projected to reach 27,090 MW by FY30 and 35,263 MW by FY35.

Renewable energy accounts for nearly 58% of Tamil Nadu's installed capacity. As of June, the State has an installed capacity of about 47,978 MW, including 27,648 MW of renewable energy.

The study said this creates a problem because solar power is available mainly during the day, while electricity demand rises sharply in the evening. Shifting some consumption to daytime could, therefore, help the State make better use of renewable power.

The study covered 2.5 lakh households, 1.7 lakh commercial buildings, 10,000 EVs and 500 public EV charging stations.

Among the various consumers, households could provide 61-75 MW of flexibility during the evening peak by managing air-conditioners, geysers, washing machines, and water pumps. Commercial buildings could provide the biggest share, at 126-154 MW, mainly by managing air-conditioning. The study estimates annual benefits of around Rs 102-125 crore from these measures.

Managed charging of electric vehicles could provide another 20-24 MW, with an estimated annual benefit of Rs 18-22 crore.

The study has recommended starting with pilot projects, including automatic controls for geysers and air-conditioners, delayed charging of EVs, and shifting electricity use to periods of high solar generation.

It has proposed expanding such programmes over the next three to five years and eventually treating demand flexibility as another resource for meeting Tamil Nadu's power requirements.

What is demand flexibility?

Demand flexibility means shifting or adjusting electricity use to reduce pressure on the power grid during peak-demand hours

Examples:

Use geysers during the day when solar power is available
Pre-cool offices before the evening peak and reduce AC use during peak hours
Shift washing machines usage to non-peak hours
Charge vehicles during the afternoon or late night instead of the evening peak

The Minister conducted a review meeting at the HR&CE Commissionerate on Wednesday. During the meeting, he said transparency and righteous administration should be ensured in all temples.

"Officials should not allow encroachments on temple lands or illegal name transfers of temple properties. If officials find any irregularities, they should complain to the police and initiate further legal proceedings," the Minister said.

Urging officials to inform the Commissionerate about VVIP visits to important temples across the State, he said no videos or photographs should be allowed inside the temple premises.

Emphasising the safety of devotees at all temples, the Minister said CCTV cameras should be installed at important temples that are regularly visited by a large number of people.

"When carrying out renovation work or installing engravings at temples, the rules prescribed by the Tamil Nadu government should be followed. During Annadhanam, officials should ensure that people do not have to wait for a long time," Ramesh said.

Urging officials to maintain cleanliness at all temples, the Minister said safety and hygiene should be ensured properly. If these standards were not maintained, the officials concerned would face action.

Secretary to the department V Rajaraman, Commissioner DG Vinay and Additional Commissioners Durai Ravichandran and D Rathna participated in the meeting.

Following the incident, the Executive Officer of the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Uma Maheswari, lodged a complaint against TVK functionary Devi at the Vilathikulam police station on October 6, seeking appropriate action against her.

The temple administration has put up a notice prohibiting devotees from taking photographs and videos using mobile phones and cameras on the temple premises. The temple, believed to be around 400 years old, is managed by the HR&CE Department.

According to sources, Devi, who runs a beauty parlour in Vilathikulam, visited the temple on October 1, her birthday. She allegedly went around the temple premises carrying a basket containing coconuts and fruits and shot reels at various shrines.

She later posted the videos on her Instagram account. The reels have gone viral in Vilathikulam, drawing criticism from spiritual groups and social activists.

The incident comes nearly two months after HR&CE Minister Ramesh said on August 8 that people should not shoot reels inside HR&CE temples and that action would be taken against those violating the restriction.

The deceased, identified as Elanjiyam, was a resident of a village near Lalapettai police station in Karur district. Yesterday, she went to the grove near Lalapettai railway station to cut grass for her goats and cows, as was her usual practice.

At the time, an unidentified man slit her throat and cut off the one-gram gold nose stud she was wearing. He then dumped her body into a nearby bush, and fled the scene, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

When she did not return home, her relatives searched for her throughout the night. Today morning, when they searched the banana plantation, they noticed bloodstains on the ground. Following the stains of blood, they found her body lying inside the bush with the throat slit.

The family immediately alerted the Lalapet police. Officers rushed to the spot and conducted investigations. Tiruchirappalli Range DIG Cibi Chakravarthi and Karur District Superintendent of Police (SP) DN Hari Kiran Prasad also inspected the crime scene and conducted investigations with the help of sniffer dogs and forensic experts.

A murder case has been registered against the accused and the police are searching for him.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister strongly dismissed recent criticism regarding the government's interactions with the media and the Chief Minister's communication style.

He emphasised that the ruling TVK ensures open channels with both the public and the press.

"This is a democratic government and a democratic party. Opportunities are given to everyone. I have been meeting the press every day since assuming office," Rajmohan stated.

He pointed out that while cabinet ministers regularly field questions, the Chief Minister adopts an analytical strategy, communicating well-calibrated views through social media.

Explaining the state's rigorous policy formulation mechanism, Rajmohan underlined that the government functions primarily as a people's forum. "When an issue arises, field officials conduct reviews, and opinions are gathered. There are three key tiers involved: the local officials, the people who are the direct beneficiaries, and senior IAS and IPS officers," he explained, adding that factoring in these diverse perspectives requires adequate time to ensure inclusive decisions.

Shifting focus to the recent by-elections, Rajmohan expressed confidence in a TVK victory, asserting that the polls set a new benchmark for electoral integrity in the state.

"For the first time in history, a ruling party has faced a by-election without abusing power, inciting violence, bribing voters, or attacking journalists. It was a completely civilised and transparent election," he said, thanking the CM for ensuring the police force was not misused.

Highlighting the government's commitment to women's safety, the Minister lauded the initial success of the newly formed "Singappen" force. The specialised women's protection unit has already rescued missing children and prevented violence on the ground.

"Just as the All-Women Police Stations created a massive impact during the former Chief Minister's regime, the Singappen force is proving highly effective and will be significantly expanded in the next phase," he noted.

Rajmohan also launched a scathing attack on the spread of politically motivated misinformation, specifically condemning the targeted harassment, body-shaming, and morphed videos directed at TVK candidate Sathyabama.

Calling out the character assassination of a woman candidate from an oppressed community, he urged the media to strictly verify facts rather than blindly amplifying WhatsApp rumours.

To combat this menace, he highlighted the government's active "Integrity Desk," tasked with flagging fake news and misleading social media reels.

The minister proactively debunked recent viral claims, clarifying that allegations of Hindi text replacing Tamil at the Azhagar temple in Madurai were completely false.

He further clarified that circulated photos of medicine covers with Hindi text from a Karur government hospital actually dated back to January 2026, during the previous DMK regime.

Earlier in the briefing, the minister commended government school students for organising an Olympic-style torch relay. Conveying the Chief Minister's wishes, he encouraged students, particularly girls, to focus intensely on sports and secure more medals for the state.

According to police, Loganathan, a resident of Kallukuttai working as a delivery worker, was married to Sudha (28) for eight years, and the couple had no children.

On Sunday night, the couple was consuming alcohol together at their home.

Sudha reportedly asked her husband to fetch more liquor.

However, Loganathan stated that the state-run TASMAC liquor outlet was closed, to which Sudha allegedly insisted that he buy it from the black market.

This triggered a heated argument between them.

In a fit of rage, Loganathan choked Sudha with her dupatta (stole), killing her on the spot.

He then fell asleep in the house.

Upon waking up on Monday morning, he realised Sudha had died.

He locked the house, wandered in the Taramani area, and later went to Saidapet in the evening, where he confessed to an acquaintance that he had murdered his wife.

The Thoraipakkam police, alerted to the incident, rushed to Saidapet and arrested Loganathan on Tuesday.

Sudha’s body was recovered from the residence and sent for a post-mortem examination.

Police are investigating whether the murder occurred solely due to the dispute over buying alcohol or if there were other underlying reasons.

The police identified the deceased as Krishnamoorthy (64) from Jegathala near Ooty. Krishnamoorthy, his wife Devaki, son Karthik and two other relatives were heading to Coimbatore from Ooty when the incident happened around 9.20 am. Karthik was behind the wheel.

As they crossed Burliar, a massive boulder rolled down the hills and crashed onto the moving car. The passerby rescued and rushed the injured family members to Mettupalayam Government Hospital.

However, Krishnamoorthy succumbed to injuries on the way, while Devaki and another injured relative were administered first aid and subsequently shifted to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for further treatment.

The Mettupalayam police have registered a case, and further inquiries are on. This incident comes after a car was swept away by floodwaters when a section of the road near Kallar was damaged by soil erosion following heavy rains on Monday. Fortunately, the occupants of the car escaped unhurt.

Meanwhile, traffic was disrupted for a while on the Mettupalayam-Ooty Road after a huge tree got uprooted on the road near Kallar following heavy rains at night. A large team of rescue personnel cleared the fallen tree and restored traffic. Rains also triggered tree falls in several other locations.

Health and Family Welfare Minister KG Arunraj also said that a similar packaging was approved during the previous DMK regime.

Officials at the government hospitals in Coimbatore and Karur moved swiftly to halt the distribution of trilingual medicine covers, printed in Tamil, English and Hindi, following the controversy.

The row erupted after packaging bearing dosage instructions in Tamil, English, and Hindi reached patients at state-run medical facilities, drawing sharp criticism from the DMK.

DMK leader and former minister TRB Rajaa shared photographs showing the medicine covers distributed at the Karur facility, accusing authorities of covertly enforcing the three-language policy within the public healthcare network.

Tamil Nadu has been, for decades, following the bilingual formula, using Tamil and English in the state and has been opposed to the use of Hindi.

"It seems like the three-language policy is being implemented in Tamil Nadu hospitals too! First Karur...now the same situation in Coimbatore as well..." Rajaa said on his X handle.

Hitting back, Arunraj accused DMK of resorting to the language issue for "political survival." The senior TVK leader also charged the main opposition party with "shedding crocodile tears."

Arunraj, in a statement said that typically, tablet packets are sourced from the Central Prison, bearing instructions printed solely in Tamil.

"Due to a supply shortage from the prison during the previous DMK administration, an emergency order for four lakh covers was placed with the Erode District Printing Industrial Co-operative Society on December 31, 2025 and these covers were distributed to the public in January 2026 during their (DMK) tenure", he said.

"Similalry, exactly three years ago in Coimbatore, under the DMK rule, similar packaging was officially approved, printed via the Chinthamani Co-operative Society, and put into circulation", he added.

The minister questioned why DMK leaders, who allowed Hindi text, created the template, and circulated it among patients during their own regime, were now posing as "language guardians" and shifting the blame onto the present administration.

He noted that the current administration merely procured stock based on warehouse demand without altering the design or language layout introduced under the DMK regime.

Arun Raj said that upon learning of the issue, the administration immediately halted the distribution of these specific covers at both locations.

Reaffirming the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) unyielding commitment to Dravidian stalwart, late Chief Minister CN Annadurai's two-language policy, Arunraj asserted that the party would never compromise on this principle.

He urged the DMK to abandon "deceitful politics" and adopt the role of a constructive opposition.

The FIR was registered on September 24 based on a complaint submitted by Arappor Iyakkam to the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on August 14, 2026.

According to the FIR, the conference was held on December 14, 2025, at Kalaignar Thidal in Malappambadi on about 124.56 acres owned by Kumaran. Velu, who was then the Minister for Highways, Minor Ports and Public Works, DMK northern zonal in-charge and Tiruvannamalai (South) district secretary, allegedly supervised the arrangements.

The FIR alleges that lake-bed material was excavated from Malappambadi lake between November and the first week of December 2025 and transported to the conference site. It further alleges that Velu misused his official position to facilitate the excavation and that no permission had been obtained from the Revenue, Corporation, or Geology and Mining departments. The alleged role of officials from these departments is also under investigation.

The DVAC registered the case under Sections 61(2), 316(5), 318(3) and 324(5) read with Section 49 of the BNS, and Sections 13(2) read with 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Section 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was also invoked against private individuals and others for alleged abetment.

In their petitions, E.V. Velu stated that the pendency of the FIR would affect his duties and obligations as MLAs and their rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India. Father - son duo also sought urgent hearing of their quash petitions by dispensing with the requirement to produce a certified copy of the FIR.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice V. Lakshminarayanan, counsel for the petitioners argued that the FIR was baseless and sought a direction to the police not to take any action against them.

The bench orally observed that the court could not direct the police not to take any coercive action against the petitioners and said they could file an anticipatory bail petition before the appropriate court.

The court directed the State Government and Arappor Iyakkam to file their responses to the petitions and posted the matter to November 6, 2026.

The development was disclosed by the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO) in response to an RTI query, providing the clearest indication yet that the State has moved away from Parandur but is yet to settle on a replacement site.

“Following the decision to drop the Parandur airport project, preliminary technical and field studies have commenced to identify an alternative site. However, the final site has not yet been selected or confirmed,” TIDCO said in its response.

The government’s communication to AAI assumes significance as the Parandur proposal had progressed substantially through the approval process. The AAI had earlier assessed Parandur, Pannur, Padalam and Thiruporur as potential locations before Parandur was selected for the proposed airport.

Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay announced in the Assembly on August 24 that the government would abandon the Parandur project, citing concerns over agricultural land, waterbodies, flooding and the impact on residents. He said an alternative location would be identified while minimising the impact on farmers and local communities.

The State subsequently examined possible alternatives, including Cheyyur in Chengalpattu district and Manellore near Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district, and sought a pre-feasibility assessment. However, neither location has been finalised, according to TIDCO.

The second airport project is aimed at meeting Chennai’s growing aviation requirements as passenger and cargo traffic continues to increase. The government will now have to identify a site that is technically viable while addressing concerns over land acquisition, environmental impact, connectivity and rehabilitation.

With Parandur out and no alternative site confirmed, the State’s second airport plan has effectively returned to the site-selection stage.

In a strongly worded post on X on October 6, DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai questioned Gandhi's stance on the deletions made through the SIR process in Tamil Nadu.

Annadurai accused the Congress MP of "adopting inconsistent positions" regarding the electoral roll revision exercise and asked why developments in Tamil Nadu had not received the same attention as the broader campaign against the Election Commission.

His comments come after the INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, took out a march from the Parliament to the Election Commission office in Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of CEC Gyanesh Kumar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

The DMK has alleged that millions of voters were removed from TN’s electoral rolls during the EC's SIR exercise.

The DMK spokesperson further sought clarification on why Gandhi has not publicly endorsed a statement attributed to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Kharge had purportedly stated that state governments elected after the SIR exercise should be dissolved.

"Why is he not endorsing Kharge jis statement that all State Governments elected after SIR should be dissolved?" Annadurai asked.

He also sought to know whether the Congress leader refrained from raising the issue because he was "afraid of @actorvijay" to speak about the matter in the state.

Annadurai called Gandhi a "duplicitous man" in his X post, stating, "Once a skunk, always a skunk".

After the 2026 state assembly polls, the decades-old DMK-Cong alliance collapsed. The Congress severed ties with its longtime ally to support actor Vijay's TVK in forming the government, triggering a bitter fallout between the DMK and Congress.

Appearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan, the APP said the judge's order led to immediate government intervention and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case.

"The judge deserves credit. But for her, this would have been given a silent burial, and nobody would have known about it. We immediately swung into action," he said.

The submission was made during the hearing of a petition filed by Tulir Charitable Trust, represented by its managing trustee Vidya Reddy. The NGO has approached the High Court seeking directions to the Commissioner of Police to prevent further circulation of a video allegedly containing Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM), besides protecting the identity and privacy of the victims.

The petitioner has also sought directions to identify and remove the video, screenshots, clips and other derivatives, prevent their further publication or circulation, preserve relevant electronic evidence and ensure that no information identifying the victims is disclosed.

The APP said that after the SIT took over the investigation, it had registered four FIRs. He further submitted that the police were probing certain other angles in the case.

The investigation also led to more victims coming forward, he said. Three more victims have lodged complaints so far following the SIT's intervention. Their identities were not disclosed.

The APP said the latest press release on the investigation was issued on October 5 and submitted that the probe was proceeding in the right direction.

Asked about the viral video, she said, “I did not speak like that. Everything in the video has been fabricated. I do not know who circulated it. Such videos are being circulated because I have a strong chance of winning.” Our team has identified those responsible for releasing it, and I will definitely lodge a complaint with the Election Commission, she said.

She said the video would not affect polling, as voters had already made their choice. “I will win the Dharapuram constituency by a margin of one lakh votes,” she said.

Meanwhile, the video is going viral on social media, with claims and counterclaims. The Opposition DMK has appealed to the Election Commission to add the figures purportedly shared by the former AIADMK legislator and present TVK candidate to the poll expenditure accounts.

DMK MLA S Austin on Tuesday urged the Election Commission to launch an inquiry based on the video clip shared on social media. He demanded stern action if irregularities are found in her election expenditure accounts.

"The election authorities must verify whether Satyabhama has submitted her election expenditure statements. If she has failed to do so or exceeded the permitted limits, appropriate action must be initiated against her under the Representation of the People Act," Austin demanded.

He further noted that a formal complaint has been lodged with election officials regarding the matter.

"Nobody usually admits on camera that it is their voice in such videos. She has also mentioned spending Rs 31 crore in the previous election. Legally speaking, she should have been disqualified for that," the MLA added.

Sathyabama had won the Dharapuram seat as an AIADMK candidate in the Assembly election. She subsequently resigned as MLA, quit the AIADMK and joined the TVK, prompting the by-election.

According to police, a nine-year-old boy from Thiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur was staying in one of his relatives' houses. On Monday, when he went to the house of another relative in Cuddalore, he was found to be unwell, and soon, the relatives took him to the hospital, where the doctors found that he had undergone sexual abuse.

Subsequently, the family members inquired with the boy, who narrated the incident. Soon, the relatives lodged a complaint with the Thiruvidaimarudur All Women Police. A case was registered against three minor boys in the age group between 13 and 14.

Subsequently, they arrested the minors and sent them to the Government Observation Home.

Madurantakam recorded 86.26% turnout as of 8.30 pm, 7% lower than that in the general elections, which saw 93.22% turnout. Though polling began sluggishly in the morning, it picked up pace later. Glitches in EVMs were reported at two polling stations. At booth 26 in Sithandi, the control unit had to be replaced twice. At booth 55 in L Endathur, the ballot unit was changed after polling agents objected to a mark visible on the name of one of the candidates.

Of the 27 candidates in the fray, the prominent faces are TVK's Maragatham Kumaravel, AIADMK's S Kanitha Sampath, DMK's I Paranthaman, CPI(M) 's P Suganthi and NTK's G Janakiraman.

In Dharapuram, where the AIADMK, DMK and ruling TVK are the frontrunners, 22 candidates are in the fray.

The prominent faces are P Sathyabama (TVK), K Banumathi (AIADMK), S Suganya (DMK), M Karthika (NTK) and P Lakshmanan (CPI).

Voting was halted at Kolinjivadi booth in Dharapuram town for about half an hour after a voter, Jaithun Beevi, reportedly claimed she was prompted by a polling official to choose the TVK's Whistle symbol.

The turnout in Dharapuram stood at 80.31% as of 8.30 pm, compared with 89.89% in the general election.

The government had increased the monthly pension for anganwadi workers and nutrition organisers from Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,400 in January. The retirement benefit was also enhanced from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2 lakh.

However, retired workers said that the problem was not merely the quantum of pension but the uncertainty over when it will reach their bank accounts. “Payments are sometimes held up for months, forcing elderly beneficiaries to depend on family members or borrow money to meet essential expenses,” rued a retired worker. “When even the small amount of Rs 3,400 is delayed for months, it becomes extremely difficult to manage household expenses.”

Another pensioner added that the delay was particularly painful for elderly workers who have no other steady source of income. “The government announces increases and benefits, but what matters to us is whether the money reaches us on time. We cannot wait for months for every payment,” another retired worker said.

Retired workers have urged the Social Welfare Department to streamline the pension disbursement process and ensure that arrears, wherever pending, are cleared immediately. The pension issue is also part of the larger concerns such as working conditions, pay and post-retirement security, etc they have raised.

The workers have called for timely implementation of government announcements and a mechanism to prevent delays in pension payments. The department officials did not respond when contacted.

Hailing from Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district, Kuppusamy completed his schooling at Government Higher Secondary School in Vedaranyam. He is a Tamil folk and playback singer, lyricist, writer and music composer.

The Tamil Nadu Sangeet Nataka Sangam was established by the State government in 1955 to achieve, at the State level, the objectives of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi and to promote traditional Tamil arts.

The organisation was renamed the Tamil Nadu Eyal Isai Nataka Manram in 1973.

The Manram implements various schemes with grants sanctioned by the Tamil Nadu government for the promotion and development of arts and artists.

The gang first came under the police radar in December 2025 after a group of college students was waylaid in Kuniyamuthur and robbed of cash and jewellery at knife-point. When a patrol team attempted to intercept the suspects, they threw chilli powder at the policemen and sped away in a car.

Police said the gang members later moved to Theni district, where its members broke into the house of a police sub-inspector and stole around 100 sovereigns of gold jewellery, before fleeing to Delhi.

The gang first came under the police radar in December 2025 after a group of college students was waylaid in Kuniyamuthur and robbed of cash and jewellery at knife-point

Last month, the gang flew down to Tamil Nadu and murdered a man in Keeladi in Sivaganga district before returning to Coimbatore. Acting on the directions of Coimbatore City Police Commissioner Ramya Bharathi, a police team analysed mobile phone numbers and surveillance camera footage and traced them to Ukkadam. The police surrounded their hideout and arrested them

The accused were identified as Aakash (23) of Sivaganga, Manojkumar (26) of Thanjavur, Muthupandi (24) of Dindigul, Annamalai (25) of Sundarapuram in Coimbatore, Arunpandi (27) and Bhuvanesh (22) of Madurai, Arun (20) of Sivaganga, Ramar (23) of Madurai and Gopinath (23) of Dindigul.

Police said Aakash had 25 criminal cases against him, while Arun and Muthupandi had 31 and 18 cases respectively. The other members of the gang were also facing cases in different parts of the State. Following their arrest, police also seized ganja and methamphetamine from their possession. They were produced before a court and remanded to Coimbatore Central Prison.

The previous DMK government had envisaged a new complex to come up near the Madras Race Course to address the space constraints at the current Collectorate inside Singaravelar Maligai on Rajaji Salai. However, land for the final destination was eventually identified at Guindy.

According to an order issued by the Revenue Department on November 10, 2025, the government approved 1.43 hectares of vacant government poramboke land at Guindy for a new Collectorate. The land was identified for developing a dedicated campus for the district administration.

The TVK-led government has now initiated steps to construct the new campus.

"The government has estimated Rs 83 crore to construct the new Collectorate complex. The building has been planned as a three-storey structure with all necessary facilities, including parking and conference halls. Construction work will commence very soon," an official said.

The official added that the portions of the existing building currently being used by the Collectorate would be handed over to the Law Department after the Collectorate shifts to the new campus. Besides the Collectorate, Singaravelar Maligai accommodates several government offices and judicial establishments. The first floor houses the civil and additional sessions courts. The second floor accommodates the offices of the District Adi Dravidar Welfare Department, District Backward Classes Welfare Department and TAHDCO, besides a Civil Court.

The government is expected to utilise the existing Collectorate premises for additional court-related requirements after the Law Department takes over the space.

MOVING OUT

• 1.43 ha of government poramboke land approved at Guindy for the new Collectorate

• The current Collectorate located inside Singaravelar Maligai on Rajaji Salai has been functioning from a crammed space

• Singaravelar Maligai also houses several government offices and judicial establishments, besides the Collectorate

• Once the Guindy facility opens, the government will reportedly handover the current complex to the Law department, which will repurpose the space

Stalin alleged that the TVK had supported the nurses' protest when it was not in power and had promised job security during the Assembly election campaign.

"Now, what does Chief Minister Vijay have to say about this incident? What do his Cabinet colleagues, who support the Chief Minister's inefficient administration, have to say?" Stalin asked.

He said the staff nurses had continued their protest even at night using mobile phone torches after a power shutdown at the protest venue.

"But the police arrested them at night itself. Is this the change promised by the ruling government?" he asked.

Stalin also alleged that the ruling party had made promises merely as an eyewash and failed to fulfil them after coming to power.

"Are the nurses now victims of the TVK government's backstabbing and betrayal?" he asked.

A Division Bench comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice GK Muthukumaar posted the matter to October 13.

Earlier, DMK general secretary Duraimurugan had filed a civil suit before the Madras High Court against Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) over alleged defamatory statements concerning the party's handling of the R Veeramani case.

The plea alleged that TVK ministers Aadhav Arjuna and R. Nirmal Kumar accused the DMK of inaction in the R Veeramani case on September 21, 2026. It further alleged that the TVK Headquarters IT Wing and the party's official social media accounts on X, Instagram and Facebook had published, reposted and circulated the statements and materials, thereby causing injury to the party's reputation.

The DMK submitted that the police received a complaint relating to the alleged offence on October 6, 2025, and registered an FIR on October 7, 2025. It contended that the police had acted promptly and that there was no delay or interference on the part of the party.

The DMK contended that the publications were false, baseless and without lawful justification, and amounted to civil defamation. It sought damages of Rs 1,01,00,000, stating that the actual damages could not be quantified.

After hearing both sides on October 5, 2026, Justice K Govindarajan Thilakavadi granted leave to the DMK, represented by its general secretary Duraimurugan, to institute a Rs 1 crore defamation suit against TVK ministers and the TVK IT Wing over alleged defamatory statements accusing the party of inaction in the R Veeramani case.

Aggrieved by this order, TVK Ministers Aadhav Arjuna and R Nirmalkumar filed an appeal before the Madras High Court.

State president Nainar Nagenthran alleged that the government had failed to honour the TVK's election promise to regularise temporary nurses from day one in office and criticised the alleged police action against nurses who staged a peaceful protest demanding permanent employment.

"When the government is in a hurry to provide cars to MLAs, why does it seek more time only when it comes to appointing nurses?" he asked in a statement.

He alleged that thousands of nurses protesting peacefully were subjected to police action and claimed that they were made to wait for hours before being taken for talks and confined at a marriage hall. "How can nurses trust a government that says one thing and does another?" Nainar asked, alleging that the government's request for time until November 3 was an attempt to defer the issue.

The BJP leader also questioned Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's priorities, saying the government was moving swiftly on providing cars to MLAs and constructing a new Secretariat but was 'dead slow' on regularising government employees. "Why is the Chief Minister acting with great speed on providing cars to MLAs and constructing a new Secretariat, but 'dead slow' when it comes to regularising government employees?" he asked.

Nainar also recalled the TVK's election promise to regularise temporary nurses from the first day of its government and questioned the delay in fulfilling the assurance.

Toor dal recorded one of the steepest increases among pulses, with the wholesale price rising from Rs 126 a kg in September to Rs 143 in October. Urad dal climbed from Rs 120 to Rs 128, moong dal from Rs 106 to Rs 112 and gram dal from Rs 80 to Rs 90.

R Punniyappan, a trader at the Koyambedu Wholesale Food Grain Market, said pulse prices have increased by Rs 10 to Rs 15 a kg this month due to rainfall deficits.

"Crop failures across major cultivation regions in Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have drastically reduced stock levels. Increased festive season demand has further aggravated the shortage. Price relief depends entirely on rainfall and is unlikely before Pongal," he said.

Spice prices have also risen sharply. Gundu chilli leaped from Rs 330 to Rs 420 a kg, while long chilli went from Rs 275 to Rs 290. Coriander increased from Rs 190 to Rs 210.

The price of fine varieties of rice, including Ponni, commonly consumed in Tamil Nadu, has crossed Rs 70 a kg from Rs 55-60 previously. Basmati rice is now at Rs 122 from Rs 113.

K Vedhavalli, a homemaker, said the rise in grocery and vegetable prices was making it difficult to manage the monthly household budget.

"The prices of rice, pulses, oil, onion and tomato, besides various other essentials, including milk, have gone up in the past two to three months. Our monthly budget has increased by 20% to 30%, affecting other expenditures," she said.

Meanwhile, cooking oil prices showed a mixed trend. Idhayam gingelly oil increased from Rs 425 to Rs 440, Gold Coin from Rs 330 to Rs 340 and Mantra groundnut oil from Rs 270 to Rs 280.

In contrast, sunflower oil prices declined. Gold Winner fell from Rs 182 to Rs 170, Sunland from Rs 178 to Rs 168 and Fortune from Rs 180 to Rs 170.

Ghee prices saw an upward trend. Idhayam ghee rose from Rs 680 to Rs 825, while GRB increased from Rs 800 to Rs 825 and Dodla from Rs 600 to Rs 620.

P Saravanan, a grocery store owner in Vadapalani, said higher wholesale acquisition costs and stockists holding large inventories were contributing to the price rise.

The price rise has also changed buying patterns, Saravanan said. Families that earlier purchased 1 kg of essential staples were now buying only 250 grams, while purchases of toor dal had fallen from 2 kg to 1 kg. Consumers were also increasingly switching from rice to vermicelli to reduce their grocery expenditure.

With festive demand adding to supply pressures, traders expect prices of several staples to remain high in the coming months, with any significant correction dependent on improved agricultural output and supply.

Speaking to reporters at Keelaeral village in Thoothukudi district after inspecting ongoing flyover construction works, Kanimozhi said, “We are witnessing several crimes, murders and sexual offences against women and children every day. But this government does not appear to be taking any action to address these incidents.”

“It is not known whether they are behaving in this way because they have developed arrogance after assuming power,” she said, alleging that they believed they could do whatever they wanted and that no one would question them.

In a separate social media post, Kanimozhi said her party was receiving “disturbing reports” of multiple voices critical of the TVK government facing repeated restrictions and reduced visibility on Instagram.

She said freedom of expression should not become “collateral damage in political competition” and alleged that if reporting mechanisms were being systematically or maliciously misused to silence lawful political criticism, the issue deserved a serious and transparent investigation.

Referring to the Information Technology Rules, Kanimozhi said they recognised the need for safeguards against the misuse of grievance mechanisms and provided protections for users to challenge platform action.

She urged the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the appropriate cyber authorities and Meta to examine the complaints, ensure transparent enforcement and protect lawful democratic expression.

“No Government or political party should fear criticism. And no citizen should have to fear losing their digital voice for criticising those in power,” she said, adding, “Democracy must remain louder than those who seek to silence it.”

In a statement, Anbumani said the police action against nurses who were peacefully protesting for their rights was strongly condemnable. He said Intermediate Health Workers, including nurses, were being paid extremely low wages despite serving for several years and repeatedly demanding job security and better wages.

Anbumani pointed out that the TVK had promised that temporary employees who had served for more than five years in various departments would be regularised if the party came to power. He said the protesting nurses were demanding the fulfilment of the same promise.

"Instead of respecting their concerns and addressing their demands, unleashing repression against them is unjustifiable," he said.

Following an assurance from the Health Secretary that their demands would be considered, the nurses have temporarily suspended their protest until November 3.

Anbumani urged the Tamil Nadu government to fulfil their demands within the period and ensure that the nurses were not forced to launch another protest.

Palaniswami, in a social media post, described the police action against the protesting nurses as "cruel" and questioned the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over the arrests.

He questioned how Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, who had spoken against "fascism" before coming to power, could allow such action against nurses protesting for their demands.

Recalling the assurances given by TVK leaders before the Assembly elections, Palaniswami said the party had promised nurses that they would be made permanent if the TVK came to power.

He also criticised Health Minister Arunraj for not intervening in the issue. Palaniswami questioned why the minister had not held talks with the protesting nurses and attempted to find a solution to their demands.

Alleging that the government had handled the protest in an undemocratic manner, he said electricity at the protest venue was cut and the nurses were subsequently called for talks before being arrested.

Palaniswami demanded the immediate release of the arrested nurses and urged the government not to register cases against them. He also called for talks with the nurses to resolve their demands.

Dhinakaran also condemned the arrests, stating that the TVK government should address the grievances of nurses fighting for their rights instead of using the police against them.

He alleged that calling representatives of the nurses for talks and subsequently arresting them amounted to a betrayal by the government.

Dhinakaran urged the government to hold talks with the nurses and address their demands, including job security and equal pay for equal work.

According to the police, Roslin Vedhakhan (55), a former serviceman, had been working as a Bible class teacher at a local church in Palapallam. The victim, a Class VII student from the same locality, regularly attended the Bible class on Sundays, police said.

The police said that when the boy attended the class on September 20, Roslin Vedhakhan allegedly sexually assaulted him. Traumatised by the incident, the boy stopped attending the class.

When his father questioned him, the boy revealed the incident. The boy’s father lodged a complaint with the Colachel All Women Police Station. The police registered a case against Roslin Vedhakhan under the Pocso Act and arrested him. He was subsequently produced before a court and remanded in judicial custody.

The Dindigul police secured four persons in connection with the murder and are questioning them.

According to the police, a gang intercepted Veerapathiran, a key accused in the murder case, while he was travelling with his wife on a two-wheeler near Nochiodaipatti village and hacked him to death. During the attack, Veerapathiran’s wife fell from the two-wheeler and suffered serious injuries. She was rescued by the police and taken to the Dindigul Government Medical College Hospital in a 108 ambulance.

Following the orders of Dindigul Superintendent of Police S Jeyakumar, a special police team led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Manjima seized a Scorpio vehicle allegedly used by the assailants to escape and recovered deadly weapons from it.

The police suspect that the murder could be an act of revenge and are questioning four relatives of ‘Bathroom’ Murugan in connection with the case.

According to police, ‘Bathroom’ Murugan, a Dindigul Corporation contractor and DMK functionary, was allegedly abducted in a car and hacked to death inside the moving vehicle in July 2025. The murder was reportedly linked to previous enmity over a dispute concerning the accounts of the Kaliamman Temple at Mettupatti.

Police had arrested eight persons, including Murugan’s car driver, in connection with the murder. All of them had been released on bail recently. Veerapathiran, a resident of Mettupatti, was named as an accused in the murder case.

In his petition, advocate K Sivasubramaniam recalled that during the proceedings and debates in the Assembly on August 24, Marie Wilson made an open and official admission on record that he had paid a bribe to a former minister to obtain necessary approvals for his educational institution.

The admission of bribe-giving by a sitting Cabinet Minister had caused intense public outrage, affected the dignity of the Legislative Assembly, and compromised public trust in governance, he submitted.

Sivasubramaniam added that on August 27, he sent a formal written criminal complaint to the DVAC by Speed Post, seeking immediate registration of an FIR under Sections 8 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, read with Section 173 of the BNSS, 2023. However, it failed to act on the complaint, register an FIR, or initiate an investigation against Marie Wilson, he alleged.

The petitioner sought a direction to the DVAC to register an FIR against Marie Wilson based on his public admission, and conduct an independent, thorough, and time-bound investigation into the alleged extortion network in T Nagar, and regulatory violations surrounding his educational institutions.

The matter is expected to be listed for hearing shortly.

According to the officials, Nivanidha, a resident of Chetty Veedhi near Karambakudi in Pudukkottai, developed labour pain on Monday night, and soon, her husband contacted 108 ambulances, which came to the spot and took Nivanidha to the GH.

However, when they were nearing Thriuvalankulam, her pain intensified, and soon the emergency medical assistant Muthukumar and the ambulance driver Balamurugan acted swiftly and readied the ambulance for the delivery.

With support from the medical staff, Nivanidha delivered a baby girl weighing 2.8 kg, and the mother and the baby were later rushed to the Raniyar Government Reproductive and Child Health Hospital, Pudukkottai, where the mother and the baby were admitted for post-delivery treatment.

The officials, the family members and the public lauded the ambulance staff.

The association, which is affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Employees Union, has been demanding a wage hike for the past several years, but it is said their demands went unnoticed by the officials, and so they declared a protest for the wage revision.

Accordingly, more than 100 members of the association, led by the Tiruchy district president Aruna Devi, who assembled in front of the district collectorate, raised slogans in support of their demands. They said that they were appointed on a daily wage basis, but the wage has not been revised for the past 15 years.

They said that while the employees of other departments in the city corporation are given a periodical increment, the workers in Amma Unavagam were not allowed to get the benefits.

They demanded proper wage revision every year and appealed to the corporation to provide the provisions so that they could serve quality food. They also appealed to the Municipal officials to treat them honourably when they visit the canteen for inspection.

Later, they submitted a petition to the district collector mentioning their demands.

The woman died on the spot, while her two sons succumbed to their burn injuries at the Palayamkottai Government Hospital on Tuesday morning.

As most of the villagers had gathered at the Vadakasi Amman temple for the festival, the incident was not noticed immediately.

The deceased were identified as Mariammal (28) and her two sons, Kabineswaran (6) and Rabineswaran (4).

Mariammal, a native of Devathanam village in Virudhunagar district, had married Kalipandi (32) of Vadakusathiram near Sivagiri around seven years ago. Kabineswaran was studying in Class I at a local school, while Rabineswaran was attending an anganwadi centre.

Kalipandi, who worked as a painter, had a drinking habit and would frequently quarrel with and allegedly assault his wife after consuming alcohol, police said.

On Monday night, Mariammal took her two sons to the Vadakasi Amman temple to participate in a traditional kummi dance programme organised as part of the Purattasi month celebrations.

Meanwhile, Kalipandi allegedly arrived at the temple in an inebriated condition, picked a quarrel with Mariammal and assaulted her in public, police said. Upset over the incident, Mariammal took her two sons and returned home.

She allegedly locked the house from inside, took kerosene and poured it over herself and her two sons. She then allegedly lit a matchstick and set fire to her saree, police said. The flames quickly engulfed all three.

People returning from the festival around midnight noticed the fire at Mariammal’s house and alerted the Sivagiri police.

Police rushed to the spot and found Mariammal’s charred body. Her two sons were found seriously injured, but died despite treatment.

The Sivagiri police have registered a case and are questioning Mariammal’s husband, Kalipandi, in connection with the incident.

The division bench comprising Justices P Velmurugan and KK Ramakrishnan issued the direction on a petition filed by Anburaj of Iluppai Oorani village in Thoothukudi district. He alleged that the land allotted to 118 beneficiaries under the free house-site patta scheme was encroached upon and that when 21 of them attempted to construct houses in January this year, the encroachers prevented them and threatened them with dire consequences.

The petitioner said free house-site pattas were distributed to 280 persons belonging to the Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities in the Kovilpatti area of Thoothukudi district in 2002. However, as many of the beneficiaries failed to construct houses on the allotted sites, their pattas were cancelled and the district administration subsequently issued pattas to 118 new beneficiaries.

According to the petitioner, the beneficiaries are required to construct houses within one year of receiving the pattas, failing which the pattas could be cancelled.

He further stated that the new beneficiaries had submitted complaints to the District Collector and the police seeking action against the encroachers, but no action was taken.

When the matter came up for hearing before the division bench, the Government Advocate submitted that the encroachments had already been removed.

The judges, however, observed that the scheme was intended to provide land to poor and landless people to construct houses.

“Is it not a prerequisite for the revenue officials to inspect the condition of the land before taking a decision to issue pattas?” the judges questioned.

The court directed the Collector to appear in person with all documents relating to the issuance of the pattas and explain the decision.

The case was adjourned to October 12.

The secretary of the Tamil Nadu Tasmac Salesmen Welfare Association filed a petition before the High Court challenging a circular issued by the managing director of the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) on July 24.

The impugned circular prescribes penalties for overcharging customers, and provides for apportioning the penalty amount between the salesperson and supervisor under certain circumstances. It also provides for progressive disciplinary action for subsequent infractions, including temporary removal from service, punitive transfer, and other disciplinary measures.

For a third alleged instance, the circular prescribes issuing a charge memo, conducting a formal inquiry and, upon proof of the alleged misconduct, termination of service.

When the matter came up for hearing before Justice K Surender, the petitioner's counsel contended that the circular imposes punitive consequences without ensuring a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the employees concerned. The petitioner argued that the summary procedure contemplated under the circular was arbitrary, violates the principles of natural justice, and runs counter to Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

After hearing the plea, the court observed that no punitive action can be taken against a workman without following the principles of natural justice. It directed that any disciplinary action under the impugned circular dated July 24 must comply with the relevant service rules and statutory provisions. No worker should be penalised, transferred or terminated without a fair opportunity of defence through a proper inquiry, the court instructed before disposing of the petition.

After the TVK-led government came to power, the State-run liquor corporation brought in punitive action as part of its measures to curb instances of overcharging by salesmen at its retail stores. Adopting a carrot and stick strategy, it also hiked their salaries twice.

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister C Ramesh and Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Minister A Srinath inspected the arrangements at the temple and surrounding areas.

Speaking to reporters after the inspection, Ramesh said the Kulasekarapattinam Mutharamman temple festival was celebrated on a grand scale by people from the southern districts.

He said officials were reviewing arrangements for devotees' safety, entry and exit routes, basic amenities, the temporary bus stand, vehicle parking areas and the beach where the Mahishasura Samharam would be held.

The minister said a review meeting involving officials from various departments would be held at the district Collectorate to discuss arrangements and basic facilities for devotees.

He said all necessary basic amenities would be provided before the festival and steps would be taken to ensure the festival was conducted smoothly.

During the inspection, the ministers visited the Mutharamman temple premises, the Chidambareswarar temple beach area where the Mahishasura Samharam is held, the Karungali Amman temple area and the Aram Valartha Nayagi Amman temple area.

Temple authorities accorded the ministers a purna kumbha welcome before the inspection. The ministers also had darshan along with the general public.

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Commissioner Vinay, Collector Vishi Mahajan, Superintendent of Police Siva Prasad, Tiruchendur Revenue Divisional Officer Gautham, District Revenue Officer Guru Chandran, District Rural Development Agency Project Director Saravanan and joint commissioners Rojali Sumatha and Arunachalam, among other officials, were present during the inspection.

Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan observed that dowry received before, during, or after marriage should be handed over to the parents of the deceased woman if she has no children.

A Rithanya from Avinashi in Tirupur district died by suicide on June 28, 2025, allegedly due to dowry harassment. Before her death, she sent voice messages to her father alleging that her husband and his parents abused her mentally and physically. The husband and parents were arrested by the police, but were released on conditional bail granted by the High Court.

Even as the case is going on, her father, Annadurai Ramasamy, approached the High Court seeking the appointment of an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police as the new investigating officer.

He alleged that the Deputy Superintendent of Police had failed to summon the accused family members to record their statements and had not collected relevant evidence, including witnesses' mobile phones and CCTV footage from the accused's house.

He further alleged that the police had not seized the gold jewellery and car or produced them before the Judicial Magistrate, Avinashi. Annadurai claimed that the investigation was not conducted fairly and effectively due to the influence of political and communal persons, and was prejudiced and suspicious.

During the hearing, the court observed that whatever dowry was received before, during, or after the marriage shall be transferred to the parents of the deceased if there are no children.

In the present case, the deceased had no children through Rithanya's husband. Therefore, the entire dowry, comprising 100 sovereigns of gold and a Volvo car given as dowry to Rithanya's husband, ought to have been recovered by the police inspector, said the judge.

Accordingly, the inspector was directed to seize the 100 sovereigns of jewellery given as dowry and the Volvo car registered in the name of the deceased, and hand them over to the petitioner in accordance with law.

The court also permitted the petitioner to mark the hard disk containing the CCTV footage along with the audio during the trial before the trial court.

With these directions, both criminal original petitions were disposed of.

Palaniswami, in a social media post, described the police action against the protesting nurses as “cruel” and questioned the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over the arrests.

He questioned how Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, who had spoken against “fascism” before coming to power, could allow such action against nurses protesting for their demands.

Recalling the assurances given by TVK leaders before the Assembly elections, Palaniswami said the party had promised nurses that they would be made permanent if the TVK came to power.

He also criticised Health Minister Arunraj for not intervening in the issue. Palaniswami questioned why the minister had not held talks with the protesting nurses and attempted to find a solution to their demands.

Alleging that the government had handled the protest in an undemocratic manner, he said electricity at the protest venue was cut and the nurses were subsequently called for talks before being arrested.

Palaniswami demanded the immediate release of the arrested nurses and urged the government not to register cases against them. He also called for talks with the nurses to resolve their demands.

Dhinakaran also condemned the arrests, stating that the TVK government should address the grievances of nurses fighting for their rights instead of using the police against them.

He alleged that calling representatives of the nurses for talks and subsequently arresting them amounted to a betrayal by the government.

Dhinakaran urged the government to hold talks with the nurses and address their demands, including job security and equal pay for equal work.