Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, on Tuesday (June 16, 2026), inaugurated a two-day training programme on the rules and procedures to be followed during House proceedings for the members of the 17^th Legislative Assembly, at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai.

Speaking at the inauguration, Speaker of the State Legislative Assembly J.C.D. Prabhakar said, of the members in the present House, 146 MLAs were first-time legislators and several of them were youngsters. He said the training programme would focus on the rules and procedures that members should follow during Assembly proceedings, including what they should and should not speak in the House.

‘Vijay-model govt.’

Describing the new TVK-led administration as a “Vijay-model government,” the Speaker said the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly was a historic institution with a legacy spanning over 100 years and had served as an example for the rest of the country.

Recalling his maiden speech in the Assembly in 1980, when he was an AIADMK MLA, Mr. Prabhakar said he had demanded the establishment of small-scale industries in the name of former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai with the ₹15,000 spent for the unveiling of the Dravidian stalwart’s statue.

He said the then Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran had commended him after listening to his speech. He also said debates that took place in the Assembly in the past had led to changes in governments. Mr. Prabhakar urged MLAs to visit the Assembly library to read the speeches of leaders such as K. Kamaraj, P. Kakkan, C.N. Annadurai and Communist leaders.

Leader of the House and Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.A. Sengottaiyan, Deputy Speaker M. Ravishankar, Chief Government Whip R. Sabarinathan, Assembly Secretary R. Santhi; MLAs of the TVK, Congress, VCK, IUML, MDMK, KMDK, BJP, R. Rakesh of the AIADMK, Sowmiya Anbumani of the PMK were present. Meanwhile, MLAs of the DMK, CPI, CPI (M) and DMDK did not attend the inauguration.

Topics to be covered

During the training programme, former Assembly Secretaries and officials will train the MLAs. The first day’s sessions focused on the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, asking questions, submitting notices and other practices to be followed during House proceedings. The second day’s training will focus on the functioning of specific government departments.