Thrissur: The Tamil Nadu authorities Monday approached the Supreme Court in opposition to Governor R.N. Ravi’s refusal to re-appoint former DMK minister Okay. Ponmudy into the state cupboard.
The authorities’s transfer got here after Ravi stalled the swearing-in of Ponmudy as larger schooling minister over every week after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in a disproportionate belongings case of 2011.
In a letter to Chief Minister M.Okay. Stalin Sunday, Ravi had stated the re-induction of Ponmudy “would be against constitutional morality” because the minister was “tainted with corruption”. The Governor additionally stated the Supreme Court had solely “suspended” and “not set aside” Ponmudy’s conviction.
According to the federal government’s plea, filed by senior advocate and DMK MP P. Wilson, the Governor can’t resolve who needs to be a minister on ethical grounds or some other grounds as that is the only prerogative of the CM.
“It is humbly submitted that when this Hon’ble Court has categorically held that his conviction is being suspended to avoid disqualification under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the interpretation given by the 1st Respondent (Governor) to an order of this Hon’ble Court acting as if he was a super appellate authority is a blatant violation of the order of this Hon’ble Court. The Governor is bound by the orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India under Articles 142 and 144 of the Constitution,” the plea states.
It additional provides that the Governor’s refusal of the CM’s request (to swear-in Ponmudy) is a blatant violation of Article 164(1) and alleges that Ravi is trying to run a parallel authorities and his act quantities to contempt of courtroom.
Article 164(1) states that Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the opposite ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the recommendation of the CM.
ThePrint contacted the Raj Bhavan public relations officer who stated that the Governor had said his stand on the matter in his letter to the CM and that his workplace had nothing extra so as to add. Regarding the federal government’s plea within the Supreme Court, the official added that the Governor’s workplace would remark solely after consulting with the authorized group.
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A brand new low
The growth marks a brand new low in an already bitter relationship between the Governor and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) authorities in Tamil Nadu.
Former larger schooling minister Ponmudy was disqualified after the Madras High Court sentenced him and his spouse P. Visalakshi to three-year imprisonment in a Rs 1.75 crore disproportionate belongings case in December 2023. Minister for backward courses welfare R.S. Rajakannappan was allotted the upper schooling portfolio thereafter.
The Tamil Nadu meeting on 5 March declared Ponmudy’s meeting constituency of Tirukkoyilur vacant.
However, the Supreme Court on 11 March stayed the conviction of the senior DMK chief and stated that disqualifying him for holding the workplace of minister and MLA could be an “irreversible situation”.
Following the order, the federal government started work to re-induct him. On 13 March, Assembly speaker M. Appavu declared that the notification concerning Ponmudy’s disqualification “ceased to exist” and the Election Commission withdrew the order of emptiness.
On the identical day, CM Stalin wrote a letter to Ravi looking for the swearing-in of Ponmudy as the upper schooling minister. However, the Governor didn’t proceed with the appointment and subsequently wrote to the CM in opposition to the concept.
The Governor’s failure to behave on the CM’s request about Ponmudy has additionally invited criticism from a number of DMK leaders, with many accusing him of contempt of courtroom.
In a social media publish Sunday, Wilson stated: “The Governor’s confrontation with the government is unsurprising since he is acting as the de-facto president of the TN’s BJP unit and has a proclivity to seek media attention, but by his current action, he has committed gross constitutional impropriety and contempt of Court. He is seeking to run a parallel government from the Raj Bhavan because the BJP can never set foot in Fort St George (seat of the government in Chennai).”
He additional alleged that Ravi had no regard for the Constitution and the regulation, and was not match to carry the publish of Governor. He urged President Droupadi Murmu to recall him.
The DMK authorities had earlier approached the Supreme Court in opposition to Ravi when he delayed varied payments handed by the meeting. During the listening to on the matter in November 2023, the highest courtroom had criticised Ravi for the inaction.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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