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IRCTC has imposed a Rs 10 lakh penalty on a catering contractor after a passenger reported finding an insect in a meal served on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai Vande Bharat train. The incident occurred on the Vande Bharat service that departed from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. A Mumbai passenger, Aditya, said he was shocked to see an insect in the food served to him and shared a photograph of the meal on social media.
With Kerala’s Assembly election set to be held tomorrow, the state’s election machinery has stepped up outreach to young voters and first-time voters. A short music video released as part of the awareness drive has drawn attention, featuring Chief Electoral Officer Ratan U. Kelkar dancing alongside Thiruvananthapuram Collector Anu Kumari, Assistant Collector Sivasakthivel, polling staff and other officials on a beach, accompanied by a band. The 1 minute 33 second clip carries lyrics stressing the value of every vote, saying a single vote can change the game and even rewrite the rules. The video was recently released in Kochi by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and is spreading rapidly on social media.
NASA’s Artemis 2 mission has marked a major milestone by sending astronauts toward the Moon for the first time in about 50 years, conducting a close flyby without landing. The spacecraft carrying four astronauts launched on April 1 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It entered the Moon’s gravitational influence early the day before yesterday (India time) and passed very close to the lunar surface. During the flyby, the crew reached a distance no human mission has achieved before. NASA said the spacecraft came within 6,545 km of the Moon and travelled as far as 406,778 km from Earth, beating Apollo 13’s 1970 record of 400,171 km. The astronauts also transmitted images described as unlike anything previously seen by the human eye.
The Election Commission (EC) has said that 9.083 million voters have been removed from West Bengal’s electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The EC also noted that, as the election schedule is underway, fresh additions to the voter list will not be permitted under the rules. West Bengal, governed by the Trinamool Congress under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, is set to vote in two phases on April 23 and April 29 for its 294 Assembly constituencies, with results due on May 4. The SIR process began across the state in November last year, before the election dates were announced, and the ruling party moved the Supreme Court challenging the exercise.
Scrutiny of nomination papers filed for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election was held across the state on Monday. A total of 7,599 nominations had been submitted during the filing window that ran from March 30 to April 6. The election is scheduled to be held on April 23. Scrutiny began at 11 am at election offices statewide, with candidates accompanied by party functionaries and lawyers. The nomination of Chief Minister M K Stalin, contesting from Kolathur, was accepted. The papers of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami, contesting from Edappadi, were also cleared.
Chennai The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed election in-charges for the constituencies it will contest in the Tamil Nadu Assembly election. The party is contesting 27 seats as part of the AIADMK-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). According to party sources, several state-level functionaries who had expected Assembly tickets were not allotted seats. These include BJP state vice-presidents Dolphin Sridhar, Ramalingam and Venkatesan, and state wings coordinator Raghavan. With discontent reported among these leaders, the BJP has now assigned them and other functionaries responsibilities to support its candidates and coordinate election work with alliance partners in the constituencies.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai made a sudden trip to Delhi on Tuesday night after receiving an urgent call from the BJP’s top leadership. Annamalai had been campaigning in Karaikal, Puducherry, in support of BJP and alliance candidates. Following the call, he left Puducherry by helicopter and reached Chennai airport on Tuesday evening. He then departed for Delhi in a private aircraft at around 7.20 pm, according to the report.
Tehran reported that US forces carried out strikes on Iran’s Kharg Island, a major hub for crude oil exports, before the deadline set by US President Donald Trump expired. According to the report, US and Israeli forces have been conducting attacks on Iran since February 28, with no end in sight. Iran has not agreed to Trump’s deadline to halt the war, and has responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
Asset details of several Tamil Nadu ministers who are likely to contest the upcoming election have been published on the Election Commission website, based on the affidavits filed along with their nomination papers. According to the disclosures, Minister Gandhi ranks first with total assets of Rs 111 crore. He has declared movable assets of Rs 39.55 crore in his name and Rs 19 crore in his wife’s name, and immovable assets of Rs 51 crore in his name and Rs 1.73 crore in his wife’s name.
PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss’ side on Monday approached the Madras High Court seeking to “freeze” the party’s mango election symbol until a civil case linked to an internal party dispute is decided. The move follows earlier proceedings in the Supreme Court, which had directed that interim pleas on the symbol be taken up and decided by the Chennai civil court within three days. However, the Chennai civil court dismissed the interim applications, citing that election-related processes had already begun. It also indicated that the Election Commission could be approached on the issue.
Chennai: Deed registrations at sub-registrar offices across Tamil Nadu have reportedly slowed as many home and plot buyers choose to postpone registration due to election-related procedures. Tamil Nadu has 589 sub-registrar offices, where typically about 100 to 200 documents are registered per office each day. On auspicious days, registrations usually rise by more than 50%. While cash transactions in property sales are barred, deals are often negotiated at market rates, with part of the amount allegedly exchanged privately. With the election model code in force, cash carried without proper documents is being seized by flying squads, making buyers and sellers hesitant to move cash.
Residents in Chennai and several districts are reporting long delays in the delivery of domestic LPG cylinders, even after booking and waiting for more than 10 days. With home stocks running out, many are turning up directly at gas agencies, leading to long queues. The disruption has been attributed to shipping constraints affecting fuel transport to India due to the ongoing conflict in West Asian countries. To ensure uninterrupted supply for households, cylinder distribution to hotels and commercial users was halted from March 9, according to the report.
Chennai: In the wake of the Sathankulam custodial death case verdict, police personnel across Tamil Nadu have begun removing iron rods and plastic pipes from police stations, following directions from senior officials. The Madurai I Additional Sessions Court awarded the death penalty to nine police personnel, including Inspector Sridhar and sub-inspectors Balakrishnan and Rahuganesh, in the case relating to the deaths of Jayaraj and his son Bennix from Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district.
Tamil Nadu’s political parties typically turn a top leader’s visit into a major public spectacle, with large receptions, extensive publicity and local leaders using the occasion to build momentum. However, a report said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent overnight stay in Chennai—after attending a campaign roadshow in Puducherry on April 4—passed without any visible campaign activity in the city. It claimed there was no roadshow and not even a planned reception along the route from the airport to the hotel.
AIADMK candidate Leema Rose Martin, contesting from the Lalgudi constituency in Tiruchirappalli district, has filed her nomination along with an affidavit detailing her family’s assets. According to the declaration, Leema Rose Martin has movable assets—including jewellery—valued at Rs 139 crore in her name. She has also listed immovable assets such as land and buildings worth Rs 909 crore. The affidavit further states that her husband, lottery businessman Martin, has movable assets valued at Rs 3,262 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 887 crore.
PMK candidate Sowmiya Anbumani, contesting from Dharmapuri in the NDA alliance for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election, has declared total assets worth Rs 68.46 crore in her election affidavit. According to the filing, the family holds cash of Rs 2.25 lakh in her name, Rs 60,000 in her husband Anbumani’s name, and Rs 20,000 in their daughter Sanjuthra’s name. She also listed vehicles including a Honda Jazz worth Rs 9.47 lakh and a Mercedes car valued at Rs 53.59 lakh.
Thoothukudi: Tamil Nadu minister Anitha Radhakrishnan is facing repeated public resistance during her election campaign in the Tiruchendur constituency, leaving her and her supporters unsettled. The minister is contesting from Tiruchendur for the seventh consecutive time. A few days ago, when she visited Kalvilai village for campaigning, residents protested and sent her campaign vehicle back. On Sunday night, her campaign vehicle was again stopped in the Kottur area, where more than 50 women reportedly staged a blockade. People raised slogans against her and did not accept her attempts to pacify them.
India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has urged key West Asian countries to pursue dialogue and reduce rising regional tensions. He held separate phone conversations with the foreign ministers of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, amid escalating conflict involving Iran and Gulf states. According to the report, the conflict began after the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. In response, Iran has been targeting US bases and crude oil facilities located in neighbouring countries including the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP has a “secret agreement” involving Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and the Congress. Speaking while campaigning for Trinamool Congress candidates in Nadia district, Banerjee linked her charge to administrative postings made ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, which are scheduled in two phases on April 23 and April 29. She claimed that more than 500 officials from West Bengal were appointed as election observers in Tamil Nadu, and alleged that, in return, the BJP placed officials favourable to it in West Bengal.
The Supreme Court has directed the Union Home Secretary to appear in person and explain the status of implementing CCTV surveillance in police stations across India. The matter is part of a suo motu case examining reports that cameras in many stations, including in Tamil Nadu, are either absent or not functioning properly. The court recalled its 2018 directions that CCTV coverage in police stations must be ensured to help monitor and prevent human rights violations. It reiterated that surveillance should not be merely symbolic and must be actively monitored for effectiveness.
Gandhinagar: The BJP has criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over comments made during an election campaign in Kerala, saying his remarks demeaned people from Gujarat and other states. Kharge, speaking at a Congress public meeting in Idukki district, said Kerala’s people are highly educated and “not like” people from Gujarat or other states. He added that they cannot be misled or cheated, triggering a political row. Reacting strongly, BJP national youth wing vice-president and Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the statement insulted Gujarat and its residents. He cited Gujarat’s contribution to the country, naming Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed strong displeasure over the detention of seven judges who had gone to West Bengal on election-related duty, saying it was “not ready to trust the state police” in the matter. The court also directed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to conduct an intensive probe into the alleged attempt to attack the judges. West Bengal is set to hold Assembly elections in two phases on April 23 and April 29 across 294 constituencies. As campaigning gathered pace, seven judges appointed by the Calcutta High Court—acting on Supreme Court directions—had travelled to Malda last week to inquire into complaints of names being removed from voter lists and to facilitate their inclusion.
The Supreme Court has ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry into allegations that government contracts in Arunachal Pradesh were illegally awarded to companies linked to Chief Minister Pema Khandu’s family. The complaint relates to Public Works Department (PWD) contracts valued at Rs 1,270 crore, which were allegedly given without following proper tender procedures. The petition claims the beneficiaries included firms owned by the Chief Minister’s wife, mother and other relatives.
Chennai has seen complaints alleging that some sub-registrars are demanding bribes to complete deed registrations without properly verifying original property documents. Before registering a deed, it is mandatory to check the original parent document (mother deed) to confirm the chain of ownership. In many offices, registrations are reportedly processed by looking only at the latest name in records and proceeding accordingly. During transfers, scrutiny of the original mother deed is required. However, people often say they do not have a copy of the original document. In such cases, they are expected to file a police complaint about the missing document and obtain a certificate, a process that is said to involve significant effort.
Chennai: Members of the transgender community have alleged that the Tamil Nadu government has failed to implement a High Court directive granting a 1% special reservation for third-gender persons, even after 21 months. They said the Social Welfare Department runs several welfare schemes, including pensions, but reservation in education and employment remains their key demand to improve opportunities. The community pointed out that the Supreme Court has directed states to legally recognise transgender persons as a third gender and provide special reservation. They noted that some states, including Karnataka, have moved ahead with such measures.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Sunday alleged that a “huge” corruption had taken place in Tamil Nadu’s Jal Jeevan Mission, the scheme aimed at providing piped drinking water to households. He said an inquiry is under way to determine whether ministers and the Chief Minister have any connection to the alleged irregularities. Goyal made the remarks in Chennai after attending the BJP’s foundation day event at Kamalalayam, where he participated in hoisting the party flag. He also claimed that several Union government schemes were not being implemented effectively in the state.
Tamil Nadu has reported 2,09,081 dog-bite cases in the first 95 days of the year, and 13 people have died after contracting rabies, according to public health data. Officials estimate the state may have up to 25 lakh stray dogs. While vaccination is carried out to some extent in large cities such as Chennai, rural areas see limited vaccination coverage, and dog-bite incidents are reported to be higher in villages than in urban centres.
Chennai: Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has seen an unexpected change in its candidates for the Hosur and Uthangarai Assembly constituencies, leaving party functionaries and workers uncertain. TVK is contesting all 234 seats on its own in the Assembly election. On March 29, party leader Vijay announced the party’s candidates, naming Ambrish for Hosur and Kumaravel for the Uthangarai (SC) constituency. However, Ambrish did not file nomination papers in Hosur. Instead, a person named Vendharkarasan has filed a nomination in TVK’s name.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has announced Sundararaj as its candidate for the Tiruvottiyur constituency in Chennai. Sundararaj, along with CPM state secretary Shanmugam, visited the office of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan at Alwarpet on Monday to convey greetings and seek his wishes. Kamal Haasan extended his best wishes for Sundararaj’s victory, according to the party. During the meeting, Shanmugam told Kamal that the CPM was aware of his interest in the party’s ideology and policies, and requested him to join the campaign in support of CPM candidates.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai on Sunday alleged that former minister Senthil Balaji, contesting from Coimbatore South, has orchestrated the filing of multiple independent nominations from Karur. Speaking to reporters in Coimbatore, Annamalai said Balaji had arranged for 18 people from the same locality in Karur to submit nominations as independents in the constituency. He alleged they were being deployed as “henchmen” under the cover of candidatures. Annamalai claimed that “no self-respecting DMK member” in Coimbatore would accept the presence of 18 independents from Karur in the fray, and asserted that DMK workers themselves would defeat Balaji in Coimbatore South.
