1. In a first, ECI appoints new Chief Secretary

Effecting a major shuffle in Tamil Nadu that goes into polls in a fortnight, the Election Commission of India posted senior IAS officer M. Sai Kumar as the Tamil Nadu government’s Chief Secretary replacing N. Muruganandam. Mr. Muruganandam has become the first Chief Secretary of the State to be shifted when the model code of conduct is in force.

The Commission also directed the appointment of senior IPS officer Sandeep Mittal as Director General of Police (Armed Police and Vigilance and Anti-Corruption).

2. DMK, BJP alliances in shambles due to intense infighting: Vijay

The electoral alliances of the DMK and the BJP are in shambles, as infighting among the constituents is so intense that they would not even vote for their alliance party candidates in the upcoming Assembly election, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam founder and actor Vijay alleged while addressing an election rally in Tirunelveli.

He went on to claim that a section of the Congress party had been “purchased” by the DMK, while the “real Congress” was with the TVK, which was striving hard to save the secular fabric.

3. Puducherry Assembly election: Polling tomorrow

In Puducherry, where Assembly election is being held tomorrow (April 9), polling will start at 7 a.m. and end at 6 p.m. in all the 1,099 polling stations of the total 30 constituencies in the Union Territory including Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. 

As many 209 polling stations have been identified as vulnerable and five are critical. Puducherry Chief Electoral Officer P. Jawahar said 2,791 policemen and personnel from 30 companies of Central Armed Police Forces are being utilised for security.

4. Special session on delimitation: Stalin says DMK will not stand by and watch

DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief MInister M.K. Stalin, in a social media post, posed a series of questions to the BJP as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the special Parliament session on delimitation. He said the DMK will not stand by and watch “any attempt that places the rights of the southern States at stake while handing greater power to the north.”