Chennai:
Tamil Nadu assembly today unanimously passed the 10 bills that were cleared but returned by Governor RN Ravi. The move came after Chief Minister MK Stalin put forth a resolution to revive the bills that RN Ravi had sent back without giving any reasons.
While 2 bills each were adopted by the House in 2020 and 2023, six others were passed last year. The bills aim to clip the powers of the Governor by elevating vice-chancellors of state universities to the position of chancellor.
Stalin, in a stinging attack on Mr Ravi, told the assembly that withholding assent without any reason was unacceptable.
“He returned the bills due to his personal whims and fancies… it is undemocratic and anti-people to not give assent,” Stalin said.
“The Governor can’t withhold assent if the bills are passed in the assembly again and sent to him,” he added.
Stalin also alleged that non-BJP-ruled states were being targeted through Governors, apparently by the Centre.
The DMK government and Tamil Nadu governor have been at loggerheads for the past few months.
Governor Ravi had stirred a debate on the state’s name with his remarks on January 4 during an event in Chennai. “Here in Tamil Nadu, a different kind of narrative has been created. Everything that applies to the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no. It has become a habit. So many theses have been written – all false and poor fiction. Truth must prevail. Thamizhagam would be a more appropriate word to call it,” he said.
The Supreme Court on November 10, while hearing a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Government, expressed “serious concern” over the delay by governors in giving assent to the bills passed by the state assemblies.
The petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government sought to declare that the inaction, omission, delay and failure to comply with the constitutional mandate by the Governor of Tamil Nadu/ first Respondent qua the consideration and assent of the bills passed and forwarded by the Tamil Nadu State Legislature to him and the non-consideration of files, Government orders and policies forwarded by the State Government for his signature is unconstitutional, illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable besides malafide exercise of power.
The court has, however, sought a response from the Centre on the allegations against the Governor.
Source link: https://www.ndtv.com/tamil-nadu-news/stalin-urges-assembly-to-reconsider-bills-sent-back-by-tamil-nadu-governor-4584481