Getting a visitor's pass to watch Monday's proceedings in the Tamil Nadu Assembly has turned into a scramble, as students and ordinary citizens rush to catch a glimpse of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay when he responds to the debate on grant demands for the Home Department.
Slots filled up well before the session
By Saturday evening, the online reservation system for school and college visitors was nearly full. The 11 am to 11.30 am slot was completely booked, while by 7.30 pm only a handful of seats remained for the 10.30 am to 11 am slot. Assembly officials say the pace at which slots have been claimed reflects just how much interest people have in Vijay's scheduled reply on September 7.
Why the Home Department debate matters
Officials point to two reasons behind the rush, the Chief Minister's presence in the House and the weight the Home Department carries. The department oversees policing, law and order, public safety and internal security, which is why the government's response during this debate is being treated as one of the standout moments of the session.
How students can book a seat
Anyone hoping to attend has to register through a dedicated facility on the Assembly's official website. It lets both schools or colleges and individual students reserve seats in advance, subject to availability and admission norms. Inside the Assembly hall, visitors are seated in two ways, eight box-style galleries that hold five seats each, and long benches on either side of the hall that together can accommodate roughly 100 to 150 people at a time.
Visitor numbers have surged since the new government took charge
An Assembly official said footfall has climbed sharply since the TVK-led government took office. Whenever Vijay attends a sitting, the visitor count jumps further, since many people want to see the Chief Minister in person and understand how the House functions. The official added that the Assembly now draws an average of 2,000 to 3,000 visitors every day, a figure that counts everyone who comes in through different slots across the day rather than the number seated in the gallery at any single moment. The fact that reservations have filled up so quickly also points to growing curiosity among young people about legislative debates and about how the new government has been functioning inside the House.
