Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay made his maiden speech in the Assembly on Tuesday (May 12, 2026).

As the Assembly proceedings began on Tuesday (May 12, 2026) TVK legislator J.C.D. Prabhakar was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Assembly. Immediately after assuming his position, Mr. Prabhakar conducted the election for the Deputy Speaker, in which Mr. Ravishankar was elected unopposed.

As Mr. Prabhakar invited Mr. Vijay to speak, the Chief Minister, in his maiden address to the Assembly, underscored the administration’s commitment to social equity, opening with a poignant quote from Abraham Lincoln to remind the House that “everyone is equal”. He also congratulated Mr. Prabhakar on becoming the Speaker and wished him success in conducting the Assembly proceedings smoothly.

Mr. Vijay also outlined his government’s priorities on governance, welfare, youth development and transparency while urging cooperation across party lines.

Earlier, CM Vijay, through an official release, ordered the closure of 717 State-run liquor shops (TASMAC shops) located within 500 metres of educational institutions and places of worship across the State within two weeks.

Of these 717 shops, 276 are located within 500 metres of various places of worship, 186 near educational institutions, and 255 near bus terminals, the release said. The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) operates 4,765 retail liquor outlets across the State.