Ban on wrist watches for Inter exam: TGBIE

Ban on wrist watches for Inter exam: TGBIE

Mar 2, 2025, 0:05 IST

Hyderabad: Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) has decided to ban all types of wrist watches inside exam centres to curb malpractice.

With over five lakh students set to appear for the intermediate public examinations from March 5, authorities have decided to ban all types of electronic gadgets inside exam centres.

"The blanket ban comes as smartwatches have increasingly been used by students to cheat during exams, making it impractical for officials to check every watch individually," said TGBIE secretary, Krishna Aditya.

He added, "All necessary measures, including CCTV surveillance at centres, were taken to curb malpractices. Students will not be allowed to carry any electronic gadgets inside exam halls, including mobile phones, digital devices, and watches. The decision to ban watches entirely was taken due to the logistical challenge of checking each watch in such large numbers. However, students can rely on wall clocks placed in rooms."

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

Suresh Kumar

Mar 1, 2025, 0:56 IST

HC orders against Tiruvarur dt collectors since 2023 for inaction against panchayat member

Chennai: Madras high court on Friday directed the Tamil Nadu chief secretary to initiate action against those who held the post of Tiruvarur district collector since March 2, 2023, for failing to take action against a panchayat ward member who had filed a false affidavit during the election to the civic body.

Every candidate who contests in an election, irrespective of their election, is liable to be prosecuted for suppressing information in their affidavits, a division bench of Justice R Subramanian and Justice G Arul Murugan said.

The court also censured the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (TNSEC) for submitting that only the govt officials concerned could pursue complaints of filing false affidavits by candidates. "This is a classic case where due to official apathy, a person who filed false information in an election affidavit not only completed his tenure but also escaped any consequence of criminal action," the bench said.

The issue pertains to a plea moved by D Sarathbabu. According to the petitioner, he lodged a complaint with the TNSEC in August 2021, alleging that district panchayat member S Papa Subramaniyan filed a false affidavit suppressing facts about the wealth owned by him and his family. The commission forwarded the complaint to the collector. An inquiry was conducted, and it was found that the district panchayat member suppressed details about his wealth in the election affidavit.

Seven months after the inquiry, a report was sent to the district SP to initiate criminal prosecution. The police submitted that for offences under Section 177 (furnishing false information to a public servant) of IPC, a complaint should be filed only by the returning officer concerned before the jurisdictional judicial magistrate. However, the TNSEC submitted that once the election is completed, such complaints could only be forwarded to the govt officials concerned.

‘Vijay can win if TVK goes it alone’

‘Vijay can win if TVK goes it alone’

Mar 2, 2025, 0:11 IST

Chennai: Actor Vijay stands a good chance to win Tamil Nadu if TVK goes it alone in the 2026 assembly election, according to poll strategist Prashant Kishor.

"Let him (Vijay) start and we'll see next six, eight months and then we'll make a public announcement whether we are going all alone or we would have somebody as an ally. I am not seeing any alliance right now. At least not till Dec. As things stand we are going it alone," Kishor said in an interview to a Tamil channel.

Edappadi K Palaniswami's AIADMK, however, approached him for "an association" said Kishor. He said the AIADMK wants to unite the anti-DMK vote and is engaged in traditional politics of bringing everyone together to defeat the rival arithmetically. But Kishor said neither Vijay nor he is looking at it. Kishor, who quit being a poll strategist and floated the Jan Suraaj Party four years ago, was present at the TVK event to mark the beginning of its second year.

"My understanding and data suggest that if Vijay goes it alone, he stands a very good chance to win TN provided he puts an effort and a number of hours and we are together able to build a political infrastructure around him. He genuinely wants to bring about a change in TN," Kishor said.

Rejecting the narrative that Vijay would have to forge an alliance with the AIADMK to have any impact and to get a sizeable number of seats given the DMK's formidable alliance, Kishor said poll arithmetic was not guaranteed. "I am looking at Vijay and TN politics as it stands today. I see there is a huge gap. A vast section of society is looking for a new, cleaner, and fresher alternative. Vijay fits the bill," he said. On why the actor was not harsh on his ideological enemy, the BJP, unlike against the DMK, Kishor said BJP was neither a force in TN nor governing it.

Kishor, who was the poll strategist for DMK in the 2021 assembly election, said DMK alliance was facing huge anti-incumbency. What if Stalin is projected as the face of DMK? "Even if it is, no one can deny a huge anti-incumbency. There's substantial erosion in the DMK alliance vote share, and a large chunk of that vote came based on being a "secular, anti-BJP, anti-Delhi party", he said. He charged DMK with creating "a fear psychosis against BJP and Delhi" whether it is sanatana dharma, delimitation or language policy.

Kishor acknowledged that he was not an advisor to Vijay but a ‘friend and brother'. Vijay would be free after his last film assignment and would become a full-time politician.

"I am committed to help, and I am sure he is committed to help me in Bihar as well," Kishor said, adding that the actor had a huge following in Bihar and could help Jan Suraaj by making an appearance and campaigning for the party. The assembly election in Bihar is scheduled to be held later this year.

Senthil Balaji case: NGO moves Madras High Court

Senthil Balaji case: NGO moves Madras High Court

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan issued the direction while hearing the petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Movement, an NGO.

Tamil Nadu Electricity minister V Senthil Balaji.(File photo | Ashwin Prasath, EPS)

Express News Service

Updated on:

28 Feb 2025, 9:09 am

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Central Crime Branch (CCB) of Greater Chennai Police (GCP) to file a counter-affidavit on the petitions filed against merger of the charge sheets in the job racket cases registered against Tamil Nadu Minister for Electricity V Senthil Balaji.

Justice G K Ilanthiraiyan issued the direction while hearing the petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Movement, an NGO.

The petitioner had challenged the order of the special court for MP/MLA cases to merge the four additional charge sheets filed by the CCB after conducting further investigation into the racket involving recruitment to the posts of junior engineer, driver, conductor and junior tradesman to the transport corporation during Senthil Balaji’s tenure as Transport Minister between 2011-15 in the Jayalalithaa Cabinet.Advocate N Subramanian, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that separate charge sheets were filed initially with respect to the posts and later further investigation was conducted and additional charge sheets were filed. All the charge sheets were merged and such action would lead to a long delay of trial.

He told the court that the number of accused rose to 2,256 from 47 and the witnesses increased to 668 from 112 following the merger of the FIRs. It will take a whopping 1,500 years for completing cross-examination of the witnesses by the accused persons, he said. The counsel sought the court to stay the merger of the charge sheets.

However, the judge refused to grant stay, instead, he directed the police to file a counter-affidavit by March 13 and posted the matter to the same date.

Government advocate K M D Muhilan informed the court that further investigation was conducted by the police following a direction of the Supreme Court and the trial court decided to merge all the additional charge sheets in the case. Sections of Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) were incorporated in the additional charge sheets against the accused persons, he said.

Reply sought on plea alleging lack of doctors to operate ultrasound scan machines in Madurai PHCs

Reply sought on plea alleging lack of doctors to operate ultrasound scan machines in Madurai PHCs

The litigant A Veronica Mary of Madurai stated in her petition that there are 13 block-level PHCs and 56 additional PHCs in Madurai district.

Express News Service

Updated on:

28 Feb 2025, 10:10 am

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Thursday sought response from the state health department on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition alleging lack of trained doctors and radiologists to operate ultrasound scan machines in Primary Health Centres (PHC) in Madurai district.

The litigant A Veronica Mary of Madurai stated in her petition that there are 13 block-level PHCs and 56 additional PHCs in Madurai district. "These PHCs play a crucial role in maternal and infant health care including prenatal care, delivery and immunisation," she added.

However, ultrasound scan machines, which are essential for monitoring fetal development at every stage of pregnancy, are not present in most rural PHCs in Madurai, forcing women to travel long distances or depend on private hospitals for diagnosis, Mary alleged.

Though the state health department provided ultrasound machines in many block-level PHCs in Madurai and other southern districts by spending several crores, the said machines have not been put to proper use as there are no trained doctors and radiologists in the centre, she further claimed.

Particularly in Checkanurani PHC, which caters to the medical needs of over 50 villages in the region, the machine has been kept locked in a room due to the non-availability of staff to operate it, she alleged. She requested the court to direct authorities to ensure proper utilisation of the said machines across PHCs in the district.

A bench comprising justices J Nisha Banu and S Srimathy, which heard the plea, issued notice to the state health secretary, director of public health and district health officer and adjourned the case to next week for their response.

Students seek removal of old, rusted furniture from Madurai Medical College premises

Students seek removal of old, rusted furniture from Madurai Medical College premises

These broken beds and other furniture cannot be used, and have been lying here for three years.

Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai.(File photo | EPS)

Express News Service

Updated on:

28 Feb 2025, 10:18 am

MADURAI: Students of the Madurai Medical College, attached to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), sought the removal of old furniture behind the canteen at the campus near the district collectorate.

A third-year student of Madurai Medical College said, "The old beds and furniture, which must be cleared from the campus, are dumped behind the canteen. With no shed, the spot is filthy. Come rain, there is an added risk and some of the iron beds have rusted and may break apart when someone walks near them. Despite complaining to the warden, we have received no response.”

Another student said, "There are more than 70 beds behind the canteen, some of which were used during the Covid-19 pandemic. These broken beds and other furniture cannot be used, and have been lying here for three years. No action has been taken despite complaining to the higher authorities.”

GRH (Madurai) dean Dr Arul Sundaresh Kumar told TNIE, "We have already received messages and requests from the students. While many pieces of furniture are damaged, some are beyond repair. We have flagged this issue with the public works department, and have also sent a letter of clearance. A tender process will be initiated and the final bidder will be allowed to clear the furniture.”

High Court upholds amendment, Madras university HoDs can be chosen on rotational basis

High Court upholds amendment, Madras university HoDs can be chosen on rotational basis

The amendment was made in 2023 to the statute 25 in Chapter IX, Volume 1 of the University Calendar 2016.

Madras University(File Photo)

R Sivakumar

Updated on:

26 Feb 2025, 9:47 am

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has upheld an amendment made to the relevant statute of the University of Madras to enable the appointment of the heads of its academic departments on a rotational basis by taking into account the performance and merits of the professors.

A division bench of justices SM Subramaniam and K Rajasekar passed the orders on Tuesday while dismissing a petition filed by Dr M Srinivasan, former head of the department of criminology.

The amendment was made in 2023 to the statute 25 in Chapter IX, Volume 1 of the University Calendar 2016. It was duly approved by the senate; and the governor, in his capacity as chancellor, had given assent to it. The petitioner challenged the amendment on the ground of failure to adhere to the procedures under section 30 of the Madras University Act, 1923.

The bench stated that the amendment does not violate any of the provisions of the Madras University Act but it brings “the spirit of equal opportunity” amongst all senior professors who belong to a homogenous class.

“The rationale behind the impugned amendment is apparent that all the eligible senior most professors in a department in the university shall be provided with an opportunity to serve as HoD. Undoubtedly, such rotation-based designation of HoD would not only enhance the efficiency level in a department, but would provide equal opportunity to all senior professors,” the bench said.

It remarked that the statute, prior to the amendment, denied opportunities to aspiring professors to become HoD as only the senior most would hold the post till retirement. The bench also noted that the amended statute contemplates not only seniority but also merit, which plays a pivotal role for holding the post of HoD.