Gajalakshmi, in a letter dated Aug 14, said the FSSAI's Southern Regional Office had informed the department that the prohibition order issued on Aug 11 against the 11 brands had been revoked with immediate effect.

The FSSAI said the order was revoked under Section 36(3)(b) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. However, its latest communication did not specify the reasons for withdrawing the prohibition order.

The development came after TASMAC had on Aug 13 directed its senior regional managers, district managers and depot managers to stop transferring the 11 brands from depots to retail outlets. It had also stopped their sale to FL2 and FL3 licence holders and instructed retail outlets not to sell the products until further orders.

The action followed an FSSAI inspection at Enrica Enterprises' licensed premises in Poonamallee, Tiruvallur district. Its Aug 11 prohibition order had cited the presence of natural-identical and artificial flavouring substances in the products.

The 11 brands are Enrica Old Indie Classic Dark Rum, VSOP Exshaw Gold Brandy, Louis Vernant XO Blended Premium Brandy, McDowell's VSOP Brandy, No.1 McDowell's Fine Brandy, Enrica VSOP Select Brandy, Enrica Platinum Reserve XO Brandy, Enrica Premium French Brandy, Veeran Special Brandy, Honey Bee Fine Brandy and Men's Club Deluxe Brandy.

Timeline

Aug 11: FSSAI issues prohibition order after inspection

Aug 12: Prohibition and Excise commissioner communicates order to TASMAC

Aug 13: TASMAC halts movement and sale

Aug 14: FSSAI revokes prohibition order

Aug 14: Commissioner asks TASMAC MD to withdraw ban

Addressing the gathering from the ramparts of Fort St George after hoisting the national flag, Vijay said the government would work with the Centre only on administrative matters concerning the welfare of Tamil Nadu.

Highlights of CM Vijay’s Independence Day speech

State rights: The TVK government will oppose anything that goes against Tamil Nadu’s interests or affects the state’s rights.

Tribute to freedom fighters: Vijay paid homage to freedom fighters and heroes who sacrificed their lives and played a role in securing India’s independence.

True freedom: He said true freedom would emerge when people united against oppression, breaking barriers of caste, religion, language and race.

Corruption-free Tamil Nadu: The government is working towards a Tamil Nadu free of bribery and corruption, with transparent, truthful and honest governance as its objective.

Welfare schemes: The Amma Unavagam and breakfast schemes are being further strengthened and expanded, Vijay said.

TASMAC outlets: As many as 717 TASMAC shops have been closed, while computerised administration is being implemented.

Farmers: Funds have been provided for crop-loan waivers and the kuruvai cultivation package.

Centre-state ties: The state will cooperate with the Centre on administrative matters only when it benefits the people of Tamil Nadu.

Government revenue: Steps have been taken to prevent government revenue from reaching individuals and to curb bribery and corruption.

Law and order: The law-and-order situation in Tamil Nadu is being closely monitored, he said.

People-friendly administration: Government officials have been instructed not to make people who approach government offices run from pillar to post and to treat them with dignity and courtesy.

Model state: Vijay said the government would work to transform Tamil Nadu into a model state and raise it to a level comparable with developed countries globally.

Earlier, Vijay arrived at Fort St George after leaving his Neelankarai residence around 8 am. He received the ceremonial guard of honour and inspected the police parade in an open jeep before proceeding to the Fort ramparts.

He hoisted the Tricolour at around 8.45 am, marking his first Independence Day flag-hoisting ceremony as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Amuthan (19), a third-year student of Hindusthan College of Engineering, was allegedly attacked and killed by a group of more than 20 persons on August 10.

Speaking to reporters at a press meet organised by Evidence, a Madurai-based human rights NGO, Amuthan’s mother Sumathi said the college administration had questioned her son about the alleged use of marijuana among students after sending his parents out of the room. “They sent us out and obtained a written statement from Amuthan,” she said.

Evidence Executive Director A Kathir, who met the family as part of a fact-finding exercise, demanded that the police investigate the list.

“The list is now with the police. The police should investigate the matter based on the list,” Kathir said. He also alleged that one member of the four-member college administration team that questioned Amuthan had disclosed the list outside the college.

He therefore demanded that the police investigate the alleged involvement of the college administration in the case.

The latest development directly questions the police version that the murder was due to enmity between juniors and seniors.

The college administration allegedly obtained a written statement from the victim exposing the narcotics network

The DMK currently has 78 district secretaries, of whom former minister P Geetha Jeevan, the district secretary of Thoothukudi, is the only woman. She is also the daughter of N Periasamy, a party strongman in southern Tamil Nadu.

"Except Geetha Jeevan, there is no woman district secretary in the party. The party also does not have young faces as district secretaries. In Chennai which has six district secretaries, for instance, most of them are old faces. Now the party has decided to shakeup the mid-level leadership in Chennai and neighbouring districts, where the party performed poorly in the recently concluded election," party sources told DT Next.

Women functionaries in the party have welcomed the proposal to give greater representation to women and youth in organisational positions.

"If the party takes such a decision, it should be welcomed. It will also strengthen women's empowerment within the party," said J Veeramani, secretary of the DMK Students' Wing.

The party is also considering increasing the number of organisational districts from 78 to around 100 to ensure smoother and more effective functioning of its affairs, sources said.

• The financial assistance provided for the marriage of two daughters of ex-servicemen will be doubled from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.

• The monthly financial assistance for persons with disabilities among ex-servicemen and their family members will be increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000.

• The monthly pension provided by the State Government to freedom fighters will be increased to Rs 23,000

• The monthly family pension for the families of freedom fighters will be increased to Rs 12,500.

• The monthly special pension for the descendants of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Muthuramalinga Vijaya Raghunatha Sethupathi, the Maruthu Brothers and VO Chidambaranar will be increased to Rs 11,500.

The awards were presented by Chief Minister Vijay as part of the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the ramparts of Fort St George, where he also hoisted the national flag and delivered his maiden Independence Day address as Chief Minister.

Municipalities receive awards

Among municipalities, Bodinayakanur in Theni district secured the first prize. Arani in Tiruvannamalai district received the second prize, while Villupuram bagged the third prize. Chief Minister Vijay presented the awards during the ceremony, which was attended by senior government officials, police personnel and other dignitaries.

Vijay hoists national flag

Earlier, Vijay arrived at the Fort St George ramparts and received the guard of honour from the Tamil Nadu Police before hoisting the Tricolour. He subsequently paid his respects and delivered his maiden Independence Day address. The celebrations marked the first Independence Day observed under the newly formed TVK government. The State-level ceremony featured the traditional flag-hoisting, guard of honour and presentation of awards to the best-performing local bodies.

After hoisting the National Flag, Vijay outlined the achievements of the TVK-led government during its first three months in office and listed its priorities for the coming years.

“Freedom from corruption and bribery is equal to independence. The TVK-led government is working towards achieving this goal. The government is being administered on the principles of transparency, corruption-free governance, a drug-free Tamil Nadu, women’s safety and social justice,” he said.

Vijay asserted that there would be no compromise on public life and people’s welfare, which he described as the government’s priority.

On the State’s relationship with the Union government, he said Tamil Nadu would coordinate with the Centre on administrative matters. However, the State government would oppose any policy decision that went against Tamil Nadu’s interests.

Listing the initiatives implemented during the past three months, Vijay said his government had continued several people-centric schemes introduced by previous regimes, including Amma Unavagam and the Breakfast Scheme.

Appealing to the people to continue supporting his government, Vijay said, “The Chief Minister is the representative of eight crore people. I and my Cabinet colleagues are servants of the people. Let us overcome the plots and forces working against the government.”

He thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for rejecting caste and religious considerations, money and muscle power and giving the government an overwhelming mandate to establish a people-centric government committed to social justice.

Vijay also announced an increase in the monthly pension and family pension for former armed forces personnel and freedom fighters.

Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar, Ministers including D Anand and K A Sengottaiyan, Vijay’s parents S A Chandrasekar and Shoba, and actress Trisha were among those who witnessed the event.

The Chief Minister later conferred awards on recipients in various categories. The Thagai Saal Tamilar Award was presented to M Krishnaswamy, former Tamil Nadu Congress president and father of PMK MLA Sowmiya Anbumani. The APJ Abdul Kalam Award was presented to eminent diabetologist V Mohan.

Other awards, including the Kalpana Chawla Award for Courage and Daring and the Chief Minister’s Best Practices Award, were also presented.

In a social media post tagging Anbumani, Tagore questioned whether the PMK leader was making what he described as "fundamentally flawed" arguments in support of the BJP government's delimitation proposal due to pressure from a CBI case.

Responding to Anbumani's argument that Tamil Nadu could win 59 Lok Sabha seats, Tagore said MPs' primary responsibility was to make and amend laws, not to directly implement development projects. He argued that greater powers and financial resources should instead be devolved to local bodies.

Tagore also questioned Anbumani's argument for increasing the number of seats in the name of women's representation, asking why a 33% reservation for women could not be implemented immediately within the existing 543 Lok Sabha constituencies.

According to Tagore, delimitation would punish Tamil Nadu for successfully controlling its population and weaken the state's political voice in Delhi.

He also questioned Anbumani's participation in the ongoing Parliament session, asking how many minutes the PMK leader had spoken in the Lok Sabha, and argued that the problem was not the number of MPs but the manner in which Parliament was functioning.

Tagore concluded by accusing those supporting such a delimitation exercise of committing a "historical betrayal" of Tamil Nadu and said the state's rights would not be surrendered.

In the representation handed over to the former ISRO scientist on Thursday, Duraisamy congratulated the committee and said curriculum reforms should go beyond preparing students for employment and income by giving equal importance to teaching them how to lead a healthy life.

He said students should be taught the basics of diet, water intake, sleep and other aspects of maintaining physical health. He suggested that a team of medical experts prepare a structured AYUSH curriculum covering Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy. Basic lessons from allopathic medicine should also be included.

Duraisamy said such education would benefit not only students but also their families and society at large by creating awareness about preventive healthcare.

He also said health education could help protect students from growing substance abuse, including alcohol, tobacco and other forms of addiction.

"Preventive healthcare education is the need of the hour to reduce the hardship of people spending their hard-earned money at pharmacies and hospitals," Duraisamy said.

He urged the committee to bring together eminent persons, doctors and educationists to formulate the curriculum, citing the Thirukkural couplet that stresses the importance of preventing illness before it occurs.

The selection panel meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Vijay and attended by Speaker JCD Prabhakar. Udhayanidhi, who is also a member of the panel, did not participate. The reason for Udhayanidhi's decision was communicated to the State government but not made public.

The panel selected one State Chief Information Commissioner (SCIC) and four State Information Commissioners (SIC). The names have been forwarded to Governor RV Arlekar for approval. After receiving the Governor's approval, the names of the new Information Commissioners will be announced and they will be administered the oath of office.

The Tamil Nadu Information Commission comprises a SCIC and eight SICs. Following the superannuation of SCIC Md Shakeel Akhter and SICs P Thamarai Kannan, R Priyakumar and K Thirumalaimuthu, vacancies arose in the Commission.

The State government constituted a search committee, headed by retired Justice RS Ramanathan, on July 8 to identify suitable candidates for the vacant posts. The committee invited applications from eligible candidates and completed the selection process.

After scrutinising the applications, the committee submitted its recommendations to the State government. Based on these recommendations, the selection panel met on Friday to finalise the appointments.

The Bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and Srimathi was hearing a contempt petition filed by Madurai-based KK Ramesh, alleging non-compliance with an earlier court order directing the authorities to consider bringing the entire hill under the Archaeological Department's control and regulating access to the hill by requiring permission from the department.

Appearing for the State, Additional Advocate General P Subramanian submitted that the disputed portion was re-surveyed on August 5 and that the details had to be compared with the hill's map and other records. He sought time to obtain the relevant documents from the archives and file a report.

The Bench also sought details of the legal fees paid by the temple to advocates who appeared in cases relating to the lighting of the Deepam on the hill.

When the judges observed that temple funds should be used only for temple maintenance, the State submitted that the payments were made through the government.

The court posted the matter for further hearing on September 11.

The video showing the two students consuming alcohol on the second-floor verandah of the school went viral on social media, prompting a police inquiry.

Joining the issue, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday urged the State government to curb easy access to liquor and work towards total prohibition.

In a statement, Anbumani said the video exposes the disturbing trend. He said it was worrying that classrooms meant for education were turning into drinking spots.

Anbumani said incidents of school students consuming alcohol were not new and had been occurring for more than a decade. He questioned why the government had failed to prevent such incidents despite repeated instances coming to light.

He said the school headmaster had been transferred for failing to prevent the students from consuming alcohol on the premises, but questioned what action would be taken against those responsible for creating an environment where liquor was easily available to youngsters.

He also questioned the government's claims that liquor shops near schools had been shut, saying students continued to encounter multiple liquor outlets while travelling to schools.

Anbumani criticised the introduction of online liquor booking facilities, questioning whether making alcohol easier to purchase could be considered a reform.

He urged Chief Minister Vijay to shut down at least 1,000 liquor shops every year and implement complete prohibition in Tamil Nadu within the next three years, saying that eliminating alcohol should be a government priority.

The man, T Manickam (31), a mason from Kundangal Parai near Kulithalai, sustained more than 10 severe cut injuries in the attack and was admitted to Kulithalai Government Hospital. The four-year-old girl was also taken to the hospital for treatment.

Sources said a known neighbouring woman had asked Manickam to drop her four-year-old daughter at her grandmother’s house, located a few kilometres away. However, instead of taking the child to her grandmother’s house, Manickam allegedly took her to his house on his two-wheeler and sexually abused her. He later dropped the girl near her grandmother’s house and fled.

The girl reportedly narrated the incident to her grandmother, who then began searching for Manickam. On Friday, she learnt that he was standing at a tea stall near a toll plaza in Kulithalai. The woman allegedly took a sickle and rushed to the spot, where she attacked Manickam.

When he attempted to flee, the woman chased him and continued the attack. Manickam sustained multiple cut injuries and fell unconscious.

On receiving information, Kulithalai police rushed to the spot, rescued Manickam and shifted him to Kulithalai GH, where he is undergoing treatment.

Police retrieved the sickle from the woman and took her to the station for inquiry. Further investigation is underway.

The State government suspended Deputy Collector-rank officer Anbalagan, Personal Assistant (Land) to the Ramanathapuram District Collector, following his arrest by CCB on August 4. So far, the police have arrested five persons, including Rajkumar from Pudukottai, in this case.

Anbalagan and Rajkumar have filed bail petitions before the Madurai Principal District Court.

When the petitions came up for hearing before District Principal Judge Sai Saravanan on Thursday evening, government advocate P Pandi appeared for the prosecution and strongly objected to granting bail. The charges against them are serious, and granting bail at this stage will hamper the investigation, the advocate argued. After recording the submissions, the court rejected their bail.

Meanwhile, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on the anticipatory bail petitions filed by 10 persons accused in the alleged Rs 60-crore Meenakshi Amman Temple land fraud case to September 11.

The petitioners — Ramayi Ayyar, Senthamizhselvi, Prema, Muthurani, Rajendran, Kulandhaiyya, Pushparaj, Jothi, Geetha and Kavitha — sought anticipatory bail, denying any involvement in the alleged fraud. The petitioners contended that the property was purchased in 1912 by Pudukottai Prince Dakshinamurthy Durairaja and had remained under the control of his legal heirs.

They further contended that a will executed in 1930 only stated that the income from the property should be used for charitable or trust-related purposes for the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, but did not transfer ownership of the land to the temple.

The petitioners further claimed that the temple’s name was included in the revenue records due to clerical errors. However, they said subsequent orders passed by the Revenue Divisional Officer and the District Revenue Officer restored the title in the name of the original owner, Pudukottai Dakshinamoorthy Durairaja,

The petitioners assured the court that they would cooperate with the investigation and sought anticipatory bail.

Speaking to reporters in Tirupur, Subbarayan said it was wrong to interpret DMK leader Kanimozhi’s participation in the event as a sign of a DMK-BJP understanding, as she had attended it in her capacity as the floor leader of an opposition party.

Stating that the CPI was not part of any alliance in Tamil Nadu, he said, “We will appreciate the government when it does good and oppose it when it does not.”

On the controversy over the proposed delimitation, Subbarayan said the exercise could reduce the political representation of the southern states while increasing the representation of states with larger populations in the north.

Describing the proposal as “a poison-laced sweet”, he said the Centre should consult the southern states and arrive at a consensus before proceeding with the exercise. “We hope the DMK does not align with the BJP on this issue,” he said.

Subbarayan also urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to convene a meeting of opposition parties to discuss the Mekedatu dam issue and evolve a common position.

On the disruptions in Parliament, Subbarayan said that the BJP-led government had refused to allow discussions on the police action against students protesting at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and financial irregularities involving donations to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, another veteran CPI leader R Mutharasan, speaking in Coimbatore on Friday, blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the disruptions in Parliament, particularly over the protests by students in New Delhi and the subsequent police action. Mutharasan claimed that the continuing impasse in Parliament was resulting in the wastage of around Rs nine crore in public money every day.

The FOBs will come up at Urapakkam near Sivan Temple, Guduvanchery near the EB office, Guduvanchery near the railway station and MM Nagar near Ford Junction.

The four locations have been identified as black spots, and the project is intended to improve pedestrian safety on the highway. The Rs 11.38-crore project has several safety features beyond the pedestrian bridges. CCTV cameras will be installed at all four locations and connected to the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) at the NH-32 toll plaza, enabling the facilities to be monitored remotely.

The FOBs will have lifts on both sides of the highway, each capable of carrying at least 16 pedestrians. This is expected to make the crossings more accessible to senior citizens and people with mobility difficulties.

The entire pedestrian walkway, including the approaches, staircases and lift areas, will be illuminated. NHAI has also planned solar panels over the FOBs and their approach ramps.

Road safety infrastructure will include guard rails, road studs, chevron signs and information, cautionary and regulatory signboards around the crossings. The structures will maintain a minimum vertical clearance of 5.5 metres above the highway.

The proposed FOB near the Guduvanchery railway station is likely to be particularly useful for commuters and pedestrians accessing the station. The other locations also witness pedestrian movement across the busy highway.

NHAI had already built lift-equipped FOBs at several locations along the corridor in 2024. These included Perungalathur near Iraniyamman Temple, Vandalur near the railway station, Thailavaram near Estancia Tech Park, Thailavaram near Valliammal Engineering College, Kattankolathur Junction, Maraimalai Junction near Township and Singaperumal Koil railway station.

Tamil Nadu has 55 government polytechnic colleges (21,758 seats). Students who have completed Class 10 can pursue three-year diploma courses, while those who have completed Class 12 can pursue two-year diploma courses.

The number of students opting for polytechnic courses has declined due to the increase in the number of engineering colleges and the preference for engineering and arts and science courses. Contrary to the trend, however, all seats in these colleges have been filled in recent years.

Job placements too have increased significantly. In the 2023-24 academic year, 6,630 students secured jobs. It increased to 9,640 in 2024-25 and moved up to 9,695 in the current 2025-26 academic year.

To encourage youngsters to complete their diplomas, third-year students now have the option to undergo a one-year internship, instead of 6 months, in the industry of their choice for a monthly stipend ranging from Rs 11,500-21,500. The companies will also conduct the assessments for students during the internship. Through this new method, students are expected to receive confirmed job offers from the same company immediately after completing their third year.

However, undertaking a full one-year internship in the final year is not mandatory.

Speaking to DT Next, a senior official from the Directorate of Technical Education said, “Polytechnic students are securing immediate employment opportunities compared to engineering graduates. Several industries prefer diploma candidates for employment. The perception among the public that students of polytechnic colleges would not get jobs is now changing.”

Officials also expressed confidence that students could choose polytechnic education without hesitation, as employment opportunities and industry exposure are brighter for them.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recording the submissions, the court rejected their bail petitions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 11 products are VSOP Exshaw Gold Brandy, Louis Vernant XO Blended Premium Brandy, McDowells VSOP Brandy, No.1 McDowells Fine Brandy, Mensclub Deluxe Brandy, Honey Bee Fine Brandy, Enrica VSOP Select Brandy, Enrica Platinum Reserve XO Brandy, Enrica Premium French Brandy, Veeran Special Brandy and Enrica Old Indie Classic Dark Rum.

Some of these are in the ordinary segment, which accounts for the bulk of Tasmac's liquor sales. Sources said Enrica Enterprises supplies more than 20 liquor varieties and brands to the State-run liquor retailer.

According to officials, FSSAI conducted an inspection at Enrica Enterprises' licensed premises in Poonamallee on August 11. Following the inspection, the central designated officer of the FSSAI's Southern Regional Office ordered that sales of these products be stopped with immediate effect.

Acting on directions from the Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise, Tasmac managing director K Nanthakumar issued a circular on August 13 directing all senior regional managers, district managers, and depot managers to comply with the order.

The corporation has instructed its depots to immediately stop transferring the products to retail vending shops and also stop their sale to bars holding FL2 and FL3 licences until further orders.

The FSSAI has also directed distributors, wholesalers and retailers not to sell the identified products to consumers.

This is the latest shakeup to hit the highly lucrative and historically scandal-tainted liquor business in Tamil Nadu, which has been seeing various changes after the TVK-led government assumed power. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The police have initiated steps to arrest the accused.

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

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

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

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

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

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