This is an archive article published on May 16, 2025
Stalin targets Centre over Presidential reference, calls for united legal fight to defend Constitution
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday sharply criticised the Union government over the Presidential reference seeking the Supreme Court’s opinion on the Governors’ powers over state Bills, calling it a “desperate attempt to weaken democratically elected state Governments”. Left parties, too, have criticised the move. In a strongly worded statement, Stalin described […]
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday sharply criticised the Union government over the Presidential reference seeking the Supreme Court’s opinion on the Governors’ powers over state Bills, calling it a “desperate attempt to weaken democratically elected state Governments”.
Left parties, too, have criticised the move.
In a strongly worded statement, Stalin described the Presidential Reference under Article 143 as an assault on the Constitution and a direct challenge to the Supreme Court’s authority.
“I strongly condemn the Union Government’s Presidential reference, which attempts to subvert the Constitutional position already settled by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the Tamil Nadu Governor’s case and other precedents,” he said in a post on X.
The DMK, which has been locked in multiple tussles with Governor R N Ravi over pending Bills, had earlier hailed the top court’s ruling on deadlines for Governors as a landmark victory for states’ rights. Stalin’s latest statement appears to reopen that battle.
“This attempt clearly exposes the fact that the Tamil Nadu Governor acted at the BJP’s behest to undermine the people’s mandate,” Stalin said, accusing the Centre of seeking to paralyse Opposition-led legislatures through gubernatorial overreach.
The Presidential Reference comes weeks after the top court held that Governors must act within a reasonable time when a Bill is presented. The President has now sought the court’s opinion on whether Governors and President are justiciable and whether timelines can be imposed on them in the absence of any such provision in the Constitution.
In a post on X, CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby quoted Stalin’s post and said his party is opposed to the move. “The governors are acting at the behest of the ruling party BJP and obstructing the functioning of opposition-led state govts. They are violating the federal principles enshrined in our Constitution. All the non-BJP state govts should condemn this move and join together in the fight against centralisation of powers at the cost of states’ rights,” he said.
CPI general secretary D Raja too criticised the Presidential reference, posting on X: “The judgment came in response to repeated, undemocratic delays by governors in opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala — where the British Raj relic of governor’s office is being weaponised to block the will of the people.”
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Stalin, meanwhile, warned of broader implications for federalism, saying: “This directly challenges the majesty of law and the authority of the Supreme Court as the final interpreter of the Constitution.”
He posed pointed questions to the Centre: “Why should there be any objection to prescribing time limits for Governors to act? Is the BJP seeking to legitimise its Governors’ obstruction by allowing indefinite delays in Bill assent? Does the Union Government intend to paralyse non-BJP State Legislatures?”
Calling the development a “grave circumstance,” Stalin asserted that the move revealed “the BJP-led Union Government’s sinister intent to distort the Constitution’s basic distribution of powers and incapacitate the State Legislatures dominated by opposition parties.” He said this posed “a clear exigent threat to State autonomy.”
Stalin urged leaders of all non-BJP ruled states to stand united in a legal battle to uphold the federal spirit of the Constitution. “In these grave circumstances, I urge all non-BJP states and party leaders to join this legal struggle to defend the #Constitution,” he said. “We will fight this battle with all our might. Tamil Nadu will fight — and #TamilNadu will win!”
Arun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority.
Expertise
Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews.
Key Coverage Areas:
State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor.
Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties.
Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu.
Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail.
His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism.
Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More
