Tamil Nadu Assembly Overrides Governor’s Rejection, Passes 10 Bills Without Explanation

Today, the assembly of Tamil Nadu passed all ten of the bills that Governor RN Ravi had cleared but returned. The action was taken in response to a resolution proposed by Chief Minister MK Stalin to bring back the bills that RN Ravi had returned without providing an explanation.

Six legislation were passed last year, despite the House adopting two bills each in 2020 and 2023. By promoting vice-chancellors of state universities to the status of chancellor, the proposals seek to curtail the governor’s authority.

Stalin delivered a biting critique of Mr. Ravi, telling the assembly that it was wrong to withhold consent without a valid reason. “He returned the bills due to his personal whims and fancies… it is undemocratic and anti-people not to give assent,” Stalin stated.

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The Governor can’t withhold assent if the bills are passed in the assembly again and sent to him,” he stated. Stalin further said that the Centre was using governors to target states that were not BJP-ruled. For the past few months, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the DMK administration have been at odds.

On January 4, During an event in Chennai, Governor Ravi made some remarks that sparked a discussion about the state’s name. “A distinct form of story has been developed here in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu would refuse anything that pertains to the entire nation. It’s become second nature. There have been a tonne of theses written, all of them are shoddy fabrication. Truth has to win out. It would be more proper to refer to it as thamizhagam,” he stated.

During a November 10 hearing on a challenge brought up by the Tamil Nadu government, the Supreme Court voiced “serious concern” about the governors’ protracted delay in approving state assembly measures.

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The Tamil Nadu government filed a petition claiming that the Governor of Tamil Nadu, the first respondent, had violated the constitution by failing to act, omitting, delaying, and failing to sign bills passed by the Tamil Nadu State Legislature, as well as by failing to consider files, government orders, and policies sent to him for signature. These actions were deemed unlawful, arbitrary, and unreasonable, in addition to being a dishonest use of power.

On the accusations made against the Governor, the court has still asked the Centre for a response.