New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Thursday returned 10 pending bills to the assembly, days after the Supreme Court observed a week ago that he could not sit on key legislation passed by the state.
The DMK government has now called a special session of the Assembly on Saturday to reintroduce these bills, of which several seek to curb the Governor’s power as chancellor of state universities.
Speaker M. Appavu said Thursday that the Constitution mandates a state Governor to either give his assent to a bill, send it to the President or return it with his suggestions.
“He has returned the bills to the government. The government will reintroduce the bills, and after discussion, will pass it again and send them back to the Governor,” the Speaker told reporters in Tiruvannamalai, adding this happened in the case of two recent bills.
Appavu said the Governor gave his assent a second time to the bill seeking a ban on online rummy and poker.
As for the anti-NEET bill, which seeks to keep the state out of the entrance test’s purview, the Governor forwarded it to the President after the state sent it to him a second time.
While introducing bills in April, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had complained that Ravi was appointing vice-chancellors without consulting the government.
The amended bill gives the state government that power, as well as arming it with the capacity to inspect and conduct the inquiry of universities.
‘Constitutional deadlock’ Tamil Nadu’s charge against Ravi
In over two years of being appointed the Governor, Ravi and the DMK government have had multiple standoffs over various issues, including delay in approving bills. On 31 October, the state government knocked on the Supreme Court’s door against Ravi.
In its writ petition, the state said it was facing a “constitutional deadlock” as Ravi was “not signing remission orders, day-to-day files, appointment orders, approving recruitment orders, granting approval to prosecute Ministers… bringing the entire administration to a grinding halt and creating adversarial attitude by not cooperating with the State administration”.
On 10 November, the apex court’s three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, observed the Governor’s action was a matter of “serious concern”.
There were 12 bills pending before the BJP-appointed governor, of which two were sent to him in 2020, during the previous AIADMK rule.
Additionally, the Governor has not given his nod for the prosecution and investigation of corruption cases against a former vice-chancellor of Tamil University, Thanjavur and four former AIADMK state ministers – K.C. Veeramani, B.V. Ramanaa, C. Vijayabhaskar, and M.R. Vijayabhaskar.
With regard to remission orders, the state is awaiting the Governor’s response to two files requesting the premature release of 54 prisoners.
As per the petition filed before the Supreme Court, the bills awaiting the Governor’s assent were Tamil Nadu Fisheries University Act, 2012; Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Act, 1989; The Tamil Nadu University Laws Act (amends 12 university laws covered under this act); The Madras University Act, 1923; The Tamil Nadu Dr Ambedkar Law University Act, 1996; The Tamil Nadu Dr M.G.R Medical University Chennai Act, 1987; The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Act, 1971; and The Tamil University Act, 1982; The Tamil Nadu Siddha Medical University Bill, 2022.
‘DMK’s failure,’ says Opposition
The opposition AIADMK has labelled the delay in getting the Governor’s nod the “DMK’s failure”.
“This clearly shows the government is paralysed. An elected government passes a bill in the Assembly, but is not able to put pressure on the Governor or convince him to give his assent,” AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan told ThePrint.
Meanwhile, the BJP has expectedly come out in support of Governor Ravi. BJP state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy told ThePrint: “These bills pertain to the appointment of vice-chancellors and the Governor is acting within his constitutional powers.”
He said a previous DMK government, led by then chief minister M. Karunanidhi, had empowered the Governor to elect vice-chancellors. “Is the DMK trying to bypass the policy brought by Karunanidhi?” (EOM)
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: Empowering state to appoint V-Cs, inspect universities — pending bills in TN govt vs governor tussle