The Tamil Nadu government on Monday night announced a seven-day state mourning from Tuesday in view of the demise of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
During the period, the national flag on all government buildings will be flown at half-mast. No official entertainment will also be held during this period, Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao said in a notification.
"The government of Tamil Nadu announce with profound regret, the demise of Selvi J Jayalalithaa, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at 11.30 PM on Monday, Dec 5, 2016. State Mourning will be observed for seven days from 6.12.16, during which period the national flag on all government buildings will be flown at half-mast. No official entertainment will also be held during this period," it said.
The government also declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions in the state.
The neighbouring union territory of Puducherry announced a holiday for all government offices and educational institutions tomorrow as a mark of respect to Jayalalithaa.
Meanwhile, in his third stint in the top office, O Panneerselvam was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu hours after his predecessor and party supremo J Jayalalithaa passed away after a prolonged illness.
A grim-faced Panneerselvam, who was also seen sporting a beard, was sworn in around 1.15 AM by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan amidst a scene of gloom.
After he took oath of office, a total of 31 Ministers, all of them members of the previous Jayalalithaa cabinet, took oath in a simultaneous swearing-in.
This is the third time Panneerselvam (65) is helming the state, acting as a stop-gap arrangement on earlier both occasions when Jayalalithaa was convicted in two separate corruption cases in 2003 and 2014.
Also the Kerala government declared a holiday on Tuesday to mourn the demise of Jayalalithaa. All government offices and educational institutions will remain closed.
