TN Governor relents as Assembly ups ante on pending Bills, passes resolution asking Centre to fix timeframe

“This august House records with deep regret the action of the Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu in indefinitely withholding many Bills without giving permission, passed by the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu — on the basis of its sovereignty and the legislative responsibilities enshrined in the Constitution of India — thereby functioning against the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu,” said the resolution moved by Stalin.

“Therefore, this august House urges the Union Government and the Hon’ble President to prescribe a specific time limit to the respective Governors to give assent to the Bills passed by the Legislatures, which are the voice of the people of the State,” it said.

“The Union Government and the President should immediately issue appropriate instructions to the Governor to (grant) assent to the Bills passed by this Assembly within a specific period,” it added.

The resolution also criticised Ravi’s public comments about Bills passed by the Assembly, saying they were “not in accordance with the office he holds, the oath he took, and the interest of the state administration”. It accused the Governor of acting “against the Constitution and the established conventions being followed, and belittling the dignity of this House and undermining the supremacy of the Legislature in a parliamentary democracy.”

Addressing a gathering of civil service aspirants at Raj Bhavan last week, Ravi had said that withholding a Bill means that the Bill is “dead”. “It is a decent language used instead of the word ‘reject.’ When you say ‘withhold’, the Bill is dead,” he had said.

In a scathing speech in the House, Stalin said Ravi had violating the Constitution for political interests. “Instead of carrying out his duties as per the Constitution, he is belittling the position by making controversial statements in public. He functions like a politician, not a Governor,” he said, adding that Ravi had reduced Raj Bhavan to the office of a political party.

He said that whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Tamil Nadu, or whenever Ravi goes to Delhi, he (Ravi) issues statements against the state government. Criticising Ravi for not clearing the Bill on online gambling, he cited the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendation that a Governor should be a detached figure, and Dr B R Ambedkar’s stand that Governors should not meddle in party politics.

He said Ravi was aware of the constitutional norms, but his personal political beliefs had overpowered those values. “I am not planning to make this House a venue to give a reply for each controversial statement made by the Governor. At the same time, I am also not going to be a mute spectator if he hinders the legislative process for his political interests,” he said.

While the Opposition AIADMK was not present when the resolution was moved as it had staged a walkout on a different issue, the BJP members walked out over the Governor issue.

The government’s move came in the wake of 14 Bills, including the one seeking exemption to Tamil Nadu from the NEET ambit, awaiting the Governor’s assent.

While the Bill seeking to ban online gambling and regulate online games, cleared by Raj Bhavan on Monday evening, was returned by the Governor last month, the Assembly had sent it back to him. “Every stage of handling this Bill by Raj Bhavan was not only controversial but also detrimental to BJP,” said a senior BJP leader.

Earlier this year, the Assembly had passed another resolution against Ravi, following the controversy over his remarks that the name ‘Tamizhagam’ was more “appropriate” for the state. The state BJP president, K Annamalai, had then disagreed with Ravi, and said the controversy was “unnecessary”.

Meanwhile, State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan on Monday questioned the Governor’s expenditures and alleged discrepancies in allocation and spending.