Wednesday, 11 May 2011


Latest News on Tamil Nadu Government

Price bids for supply of TV sets to be opened Dec 15

sulekha news submitted 2 yrs ago from Indo Asian News Service
Chennai, Dec 9 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government will open Dec 15 the price bids submitted by select companies to supply four million 14-inch colour television sets for the government's ... read full story »

Tamil Nadu finalises unifom school syallabus

sulekha news submitted 2 yrs ago from Indo Asian News Service
Chennai, Nov 27 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu government Friday announced a common syllabus for school students across the state, applicable from the next academic year. ... read full story »

Chidambaram temple trustees approach apex court against takeover


Madras Medical College to be shifted to new building


Tamil Nadu says Mullaperiyar dam safe


Madras High Court seeks action against officials in Nilgiri


Michelin to invest Rs.4,000 cr near Chennai


Contact established with more missing Tamil Nadu fishermen


Jayalalithaa seeks more compensation for landslide victims



Prolonged poll process has brought government to standstill: Karunanidhi
Special Correspondent


M. Karunanidhi
CHENNAI: Arguing that the government had come to standstill due to the prolonged election process, Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Friday questioned whether an elected government could be stalled from discharging its regular functions in the name of elections.
Writing in his party organ, Murasoli, Mr. Karunanidhi said legal luminaries and Election Commission should find a solution to the problem of government being rendered almost dysfunctional due to the long wait for the election process to be completed.
He recalled that even earlier he had questioned the long gap between the April 13 election and the counting fixed for May 13.
“Now that the polling is over, the verdict of the people lies safely locked up in the strong room under three-tier security for the next one month. Until then, the government cannot, nay, should not, take any major decision,” he said.
It was known only to the Election Commission what should be done if any contingency arose and a major decision had to be taken. The government would be in a state of limbo, he contended. The government was not in a position to carry out its basic functions as it was barred for holding meetings to review maintenance work ahead of the southwest monsoon. An elected government and its Ministers were competent to discharge their functions for the full five-year term. “Is it fair to prevent them from discharging their functions,” he asked

Tamil Nadu government assures safety of fishermen


83.91 per cent polling in Ariyalur district

Staff Reporter
The polling was 83.09 in Jayankondam
Women polled 85.56 per cent and men 82.25
ARIYALUR: Ariyalur district comprising Ariyalur and Jayankondam Assembly constituencies recorded 83.91 per cent polling in the elections on Wednesday.
The polling was 84.73 per cent and 83.09 per cent respectively in Ariyalur and Jayankondam constituencies. Out of 4,34,395 voters – 2,166,717 men and 2,17,678 women – in both the constituencies, 3,64,509 exercised their franchise. Women outnumbered men by polling 85.56 per cent as against 82.25 by men. The 49-0 provision was exercised by 106 voters – 41 in Ariyalur and 65 in Jayankon
AIADMK will form government with a majority”
Staff Reporter
Tuticorin: AIADMK will form the government with a majority, K. Krishnasamy, Founder President of Puthiya Tamizhagam said.
The high turnout of voters in the Assembly election across Tamil Nadu indicated the anti-incumbency factor over DMK's family rule, price rise, frequent power cuts and a massive corruption in association with the Central Government during the five-year tenure, he told reporters here on Thursday.
He also exuded confidence that Ottapidaram and Nilakottai, the seats which Puthiya Tamizhagam contested in alliance with the AIADMK, would win with a comfortable majority.
“Though the opposition parties were indulged in stepping up wrong campaigns against Puthiya Tamizhagam that it could incite community clashes, I affirm Ottapidaram would remain a platform to ensure communal harmony. Since the party's chief principle is to promote industrial growth and create social and communal harmony in the southern region of Tamil Nadu, we have allied with AIADMK, which also contemplates on it,” he added.dam.
In Ariyalur constituency, the highest turnout was at the polling station in Kallakudi Panchayat Union Middle School where 95.40 per cent polling was recorded. Of the 1,131 voters, 1079 cast their votes. The polling was over 90 per cent in as many as 37 out of 266 polling stations in the Ariyalur constituency.
 The lowest 56 per cent polling in Vikkiravandi
Special Correspondent
VILLUPURAM: The Vikkiravandi town panchayat has registered an aggregate polling percentage of 56 in 10 booths.
As town panchayat chairman S. Arjunan was murdered a day prior to the Assembly elections, there was uncertainty over the conduct of polls. Leaders of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Pattali Makkal Katchi, including K. Ponmudy and S. Ramadoss, had sought postponement of elections.
But, leaders of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) urged the officials not to defer the polls.
530 voters opt for form 49-O in Namakkal
Staff Reporter
Namakkal: A total 530 voters (0.045 percent) of the 11,54,476 total voters of this district submitted form 49-O and expressed their intent of not voting for any candidate in the assembly election held on Wednesday. The maximum numbers of this form were submitted in Tiruchengode assembly segment, while the least was received in Namakkal (32).
The number of forms received in the other four assembly segments in the district is as follows: Rasipuram (SC) – 103, Senthamangalam (ST) – 100, Kumarapalayam – 97 and Paramathi-Velur assembly segment – 84.
A statement released by District Electoral Officer R. Palanisamy said that followin
Ballot ballet
-PHOTO:M. GOVARTHAN 
 Toddy Movement plans to move court against Election Commission
Staff Reporter
Tirupur: The Tamil Nadu Toddy Movement (TNTM) plans to move the court against Election Commission (EC) for not clarifying their queries on whether the toddy sales was permitted on the polling day (April 13) and subsequently arresting its member who sold toddy on the polling date.
“We welcomed the decision of Election Commission to ban the liquor sales on the polling day. However, they did not answer to a letter sent by us on March 22 seeking clarification on the toddy sales, which eventually resulted in the arrest of a TNTM member at Sulur for selling toddy," TNTM field coordinator C. Nallasamy told The Hindu.
The Movement would be filing a writ petition in Madras High Court.
Mr. Nallasamy questioned the act of the police for arresting a member when toddy is not an intoxicating liquid as per the constitution.
Fishermen demand hike in relief for 45-day ban
Special Correspondent
Exposure to sun for a long period affects engine
Photo:B.Velankanni Raj 

resting time:The mechanised boats anchored at the fishing harbour in Nagapattinam on Thursday.
PUDUKOTTAI: With the 45-day ban on fishing using mechanised boats coming into force on Friday, fishermen stayed indoors, anchoring their boats off the coast. They have not ventured into the sea for the past three days in the wake of the election.
What worries the fishermen is the relief of Rs.800 a family for the entire ban. “It is paltry for our livelihood for 45 days,” lamented G. Ramakrishnan, president of the Jegadapattinam Fishermen Welfare Association.
“The coastal villages in the district accounted for 800 mechanised boats, which should be in the sea water for upkeep. Exposure to the scorching sun for a long period affects the wooden components and engine. Owners have to spend at least Rs. 1 lakh towards maintenance of each boat,” he said.
The ban also has adverse impact on van drivers, small traders and street vendors. “The State government does not give relief to them,” he said adding that every mechanised boat gave direct employment to four fishermen and indirect employment to 40 families.
He wondered why the ban was not bound for the fishermen using country boats. “Strict action should be taken against the country boat owners who violated the norms by using high power motors, whose noise pollution affected the spawn of fishes.”
Exploitation by exporters
The fishermen will resume their sea venture on June 1. The catch, especially of prawn, will be relatively higher for about a fortnight till mid-June. “But, it is this time when fishermen are subjected to exploitation by prawn exporters.”
The exporters suffer a huge loss by incurring the expenditure on wages for labourers and maintenance during the ban.
“Against the normal price per kg of Rs.500, the exporters buy at Rs. 200-250 per kg during the fortnight till mid-June,” he said.
Despite repeated pleas and protests by the fishermen, the State government had not hiked the relief. The government should sanction Rs 1 lakh to each boat owner as compensation.
The cash relief of Rs. 800 should be substantially increased. Besides, compensation should be announced for the exporters.
Mr. Nallasamy said that toddy contained just 4.5 per cent alcohol against 42.8 per cent alcohol contained in Indian Made Foreign Liquors (IMFL).
It's interval time:Central paramilitary forces deployed to provide security to the strong rooms in the counting centres in Erode district.
Six observers to monitor counting in Pudukottai
Special Correspondent
Process to be video recorded; EVMs to be checked randomly
— Photo:B.Velankanni Raj 

Under watchful eyes: Video Cameras installed at the counting centre in Nagapattinam constituency on Tuesday.
PUDUKOTTAI: The Election Commission has nominated six observers – one observer each for every Assembly constituency – to monitor the counting of votes in the district.
The Election Commission has nominated K.V.Ramana for the Gandarvakottai (reserved) constituency (mobile number: 75987 00267); M. Rajasekar for the Viralimalai constituency (mobile: 75987 00270); Shri Umashankar Mondal for the Pudukottai constituency (mobile: 75987 00268); D.P.Singh Kushwah for the Tirumayam constituency (mobile: 75987 00277); Nipun Vinayak for the Alangudi constituency (mobile: 75987 00269); and Subash Ranjan Biswas for Aranthangi constituency (mobile: 75987 00291).
While Mr.Nipun Vinayak, Mr.Ramana, Mr.Rajasekar and Mr.Singh Kushwah were nominated as observers prior to polling, Shri Umashankar Mondal and Mr. Subash Ranjan Biswas have been nominated as new observers to monitor the counting process, a press release of the District Collector, A. Suganthi issued here on Tuesday said.
Ms.Suganthi said security arrangements have been tightened in the counting centres situated in the Government Arts College for Girls. A couple of web cameras were functioning round-the-clock in each of the counting centre and these cameras monitored each and every movement in the vicinity of the counting centre.
Perambalur
About 200 government employees and officials would be deployed for the counting of votes scheduled for May 13, Collector and District Election Officer M.Vijayakumar has said.
Speaking at a training programme for counting supervisors here on Tuesday, Mr.Vijayakumar appealed to the officials to discharge their duty carefully without giving room for any complaints.
Counting officials would be assigned to the tables based on randomisation early on the day of counting. All counting officials would be issued photo identity cards. All officials should be present at the counting centre at 6 a.m. on the day of counting. Nobody would be allowed to carry mobile phones.
Postal votes would be taken for counting first at 8 a.m. and counting of the votes recorded in the electronic voting machines would begin half-an-hour later. Counting of votes would continue only after the previous round was completed fully.
The entire counting process would be video recorded. Counting would be monitored in each table by a counting supervisor, a micro observer and a counting assistant.
Observers would also check the EVMs randomly, Mr.Vijayakumar said.
Later, Mr.Vijayakumar inspected the arrangements being made for the counting of votes in the Perambalur and Kunnam Assembly constituencies.
The Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Polytechnic College will be the counting centre for the Perambalur constituency and Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Nursing College will be the counting centre for the Kunnam Assembly constituency. He also reviewed the security arrangements made at the counting centres.
Ariyalur
Collector T.K.Ponnusamy chaired a meeting with presiding officers who was deployed at the polling stations in the district to get their feedback on the conduct of the elections.
The presiding officers were distributed questionnaires seeking their response and suggestions on various aspects of polling.
District Revenue Officer Pitchai and other officials attended the meeting.
Rise in pass percentage in Villupuram district
Special Correspondent
Percentage stands at 77.34 against last year's 76.87, says Chief Educational Officer
. 

Collector R Palanisamy felicitating top rankers in Plus-Two examinations from government higher secondary schools in Villupuram
VILLUPURAM: Villupuram district has registered a marginal increase in pass percentage in Plus-Two public examinations held in March 2011. Of the 31,017 students who appeared for the examinations, 23,988 emerged successful, attaining a pass percentage of 77.34.
It is 0.47 higher than last year's percentage of 76.87, according to P. Kuppusamy, Chief Educational Officer. He told The Hindu Villupuram district, which remained at 32nd place at the State-level last year, has moved up to 28th place this year.
Of 15,725 boys and 15,292 girls who took the examinations in March, 11,757 boys and 12,231 girls passed. The district has the credit of having produced the State's second rank-holder in S.Velmurugan of Bharathi Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Kallakurichi, who also happens to be the district topper, scoring 1,187 out of 2000 marks.
The district-level second place and third place went to R. Manikandan (1185/2000) and P. Sivanandini, both from A.K.T. Matriculation Higher Secondary School at Kallakurichi. The first three finishers in government schools are: K.S. Muhamad Yusuf Ali (1127/2,000) of Keezhperumbakkam Government Higher Secondary School, V.L.Suganthi (1125/2000) of Thirukkoilur Government Higher Secondary School and S. Lavanya (1120/2000) of Villupuram Government Higher Secondary School.
Mr. Kuppusamy further said that among municipal schools, all the three toppers are from Kamaraj Municipal Higher Secondary School in Villupuram such as R.Ganapathi (1096/2000), S.Rashid Khan (1063/2000) and B.Praveen Kumar (1047/2000).
The number of schools that secured cent per cent results have gone up from 11 in 2010 to 16 in 2011. They are as follows: Ekalayva Model Residential School at Vellimalai; Little Flower Mat HSS at Chinna Salem; S.S.V.Mat.HSS at Senthamangalam, Bharathi Mat.HSS at Kallakurichi; Gnananda Mat.HSS at Thirukkoilur; St.Joseph's Cluny Mat.HSS at Tindivanam; Sarada Mat.HSS at Ginjee; Sri Sarada Vidyalaya Mat.HSS at Ulundurpet; Sri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya Gurukulam Mat.HSS at Ulundurpet; E.S.Mat.HSS at Villupuram; Bharathi Bala Mandir Mat.HSS at Chinna Salem; Sri Lakshmi Vidyala Mat.HSS at Arakandanallur; Vivekananda Vidyalaya Mat.HSS at Villupuram; Nithyananda Mat.HSS at Villupuram; R.R.Cambridge Mat.HSS at Kallakurichi; and Valliamman Mat.HSS at Thiagadurgam.
Review of preparedness of vote counting process
Staff Reporter
Agents, if they had to get off the outer ring security, will not be allowed to re-enter the counting centre
KARUR: All efforts had been taken to ensure peaceful, orderly and swift counting of votes as per guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the four Assembly constituencies in Karur district on Friday, said District Election Officer J. Uma Maheswari.
Addressing a preparedness review and sensitisation meet for candidates and political parties here on Tuesday, Dr. Maheswari said that stringent measures would be in force at the counting centre, M. Kumarasamy College of Engineering at Thalavapalayam, where the electronic voting machines (EVM) had been kept under safe custody after polling on April 13.
She also explained the process of counting and set out the rules that would govern the counting agents of candidates and other authorised persons.Counting would begin at 8 a.m. on the slated day and postal ballots would be counted.
After half-an-hour of counting postal ballots, counting of votes registered in the EVMs would begin. For every Assembly constituency there would be 14 tables and taking into account the postal ballot table, each candidate could nominate a total of 15 agents.
The candidates or their chief agent could sit at the Returning Officers' table.
She also directed the candidates to submit the application on time. They must get the applications for agents and for themselves duly filled up and returned in time to get identity cards issued by the ECI.
The identity cards would clearly mention the table and the constituency assigned to the individual. Candidates or agents without duly authorised identity cards and badges would not be allowed into the counting centres under any circumstance, she said.
Those authorised to enter the counting centre should not take with him or her sharp objects, bottles, umbrellas, match box, wires, lighters, liquids, and chemicals.
A ban on smoking and use of mobile phones had been imposed in the counting centre complex. Agents, if they had to get off the outer ring security, would never be allowed to re-enter.
She pointed out that the Election Commission of India has banned Union and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs and elected local body members from being nominated as counting agents of the candidates and urged the candidates to adhere to the rules set out to ensure smooth counting.
District Revenue Officer T. Pitchaiah, Superintendent of Police K. Mohan, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Elections Tahsildhar Govindaraj, candidates and representatives of political parties took part in the deliberations.
Collector R.Palanisamy, along with Mr Kuppusamy, felicitated the toppers at the Collectorate.
Review of preparedness of vote counting process
Staff Reporter
Agents, if they had to get off the outer ring security, will not be allowed to re-enter the counting centre
KARUR: All efforts had been taken to ensure peaceful, orderly and swift counting of votes as per guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the four Assembly constituencies in Karur district on Friday, said District Election Officer J. Uma Maheswari.
Addressing a preparedness review and sensitisation meet for candidates and political parties here on Tuesday, Dr. Maheswari said that stringent measures would be in force at the counting centre, M. Kumarasamy College of Engineering at Thalavapalayam, where the electronic voting machines (EVM) had been kept under safe custody after polling on April 13.
She also explained the process of counting and set out the rules that would govern the counting agents of candidates and other authorised persons.Counting would begin at 8 a.m. on the slated day and postal ballots would be counted.
After half-an-hour of counting postal ballots, counting of votes registered in the EVMs would begin. For every Assembly constituency there would be 14 tables and taking into account the postal ballot table, each candidate could nominate a total of 15 agents.
The candidates or their chief agent could sit at the Returning Officers' table.
She also directed the candidates to submit the application on time. They must get the applications for agents and for themselves duly filled up and returned in time to get identity cards issued by the ECI.
The identity cards would clearly mention the table and the constituency assigned to the individual. Candidates or agents without duly authorised identity cards and badges would not be allowed into the counting centres under any circumstance, she said.
Those authorised to enter the counting centre should not take with him or her sharp objects, bottles, umbrellas, match box, wires, lighters, liquids, and chemicals.
A ban on smoking and use of mobile phones had been imposed in the counting centre complex. Agents, if they had to get off the outer ring security, would never be allowed to re-enter.
She pointed out that the Election Commission of India has banned Union and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs and elected local body members from being nominated as counting agents of the candidates and urged the candidates to adhere to the rules set out to ensure smooth counting.
District Revenue Officer T. Pitchaiah, Superintendent of Police K. Mohan, Returning Officers, Assistant Returning Officers, Elections Tahsildhar Govindaraj, candidates and representatives of political parties took part in the deliberations.
Election Commission move to improve process
Staff Reporter
It seeks feedback from presiding officers during pre-poll training programmes
VIRUDHUNAGAR: Election Commission has sought feedback from the presiding officers on the problems faced by them during the pre-poll training programmes, the facilities at the polling stations and their suggestions on the aspects that could improve voting on the polling day.
The six-page questionnaire, printed in Tamil, was circulated among 20 per cent of the presiding officers who were randomly selected.
The presiding officers had to answer nine objective type questions (with four options) on the pre-poll preparation.
The questionnaire also contained five questions on the activities on polling day.
A specific question pertained to the option of 49-O, which the electorate could make use of, in the event of they, not wanting to vote in favour of any of the candidates of the Assembly constituency.
Another question pertained to Challenged Votes. The presiding officers were asked to write about their knowledge on these two aspects and also point out the source through which they came to know about them.
This was for the first time that the Election Commission had sought feedback from the officials involved in polling work, the Virudhunagar District Collector and District Election Officer, V.K. Shanmugam, said.
“The Commission probably wants to get the feedback to ascertain the effectiveness of the training programmes held and other preparatory works taken up in the run-up to the polling.
It may also use the suggestions put forth by the presiding officers to fine tune the process in the future elections,” he said.
The Commission wanted to get the responses on whether the Voters' Assistance Booth functioned at the polling stations on the polling day and whether the voters' slip distributed by the Election Commission was beneficial to the voters and the polling officials. The presiding officers' were asked to reveal whether they faced any pressure or hurdle from the agents of the political parties and candidates and how they tackled such situation, if any.
One of the questions pertained to whether the web-cameras installed in sensitive booths helped to prevent impersonation. For a few questions, the respondents had to choose from the four given options – very good, good, okay, and bad.
They had to substantiate as to how certain aspects were bad and provide suggestions to improve those.
Among such questions were the facilities available at the polling stations, the effectiveness of SMS-based election monitoring system, the clarity on filling up of some of the forms and covers, the method of training and the system of distribution of guides for the purpose.
The presiding officers had an opportunity to air their opinion on the process of casting the postal votes like distribution and submission of Form 12 and submission of postal votes.
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