Chennai:
Tamil Nadu has secured a “historic verdict” from the Supreme Court, Chief Minister MK Stalin said Tuesday, after the court ruled Governor RN Ravi’s withholding of assent for 10 bills – including two passed by the previous administration, when the AIADMK was in power – is “illegal” and “arbitrary”.
In brief remarks to the state Assembly this afternoon the Chief Minister said, “The Supreme Court has granted assent to all bills we passed and (to which) the Governor had refused assent.”
“This is a big victory not just for Tamil Nadu but all Indian states…” the DMK leader said, referring to similar disputes between non-BJP states and their Governors, who are appointed by the centre.
The ruling party also demanded Mr Ravi – with whom the DMK has had several run-ins – resign out of “respect (for the) office of the Governor”, underscoring the hostilities between both sides.
Hours earlier a bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan ordered the pending bills “cleared from the date it was re-presented to the Governor, who did not act in “good faith”.
READ | Supreme Court Verdict On Governor’s Powers In Tamil Nadu Case
Over the past several years the DMK has accused Governor Ravi – who, like all Governors, was appointed by the BJP-led central government – of deliberately delaying its bills and scuttling the southern state’s development projects by “undermining the elected administration”.
The ruling party has also claimed the Governor’s actions amount to “undermining (of) the will of the people” by deliberately delaying bills sent for clearance.
The squabble between the state and the Governor frequently made headlines and, just as frequently, came up before the top court. In January an increasingly frustrated Supreme Court made strong observations, telling both sides to resolve differences or it would be forced to act.
READ | “Resolve This Or…”: Court Warns Tamil Nadu Government, Governor
As far back as November 2023 the court – which has heard similar pleas from other non-BJP states, such as Kerala and Punjab – had asked tough questions of Mr Ravi. “These bills have been pending since 2020… What was he (Mr Ravi) doing for three years?” the court asked.
This boost for the DMK comes as tensions between the state and centre ramp up over at least three contentious issues – delimitation, the ‘Hindi imposition’ row, and the rejection of a bill proposing Tamil Nadu’s exemption from the NEET, or national entrance test for medical courses.
It also comes as the DMK (and its allies, including the Congress), the AIADMK, and the BJP prep for next year’s Assembly election.
