Thrissur: A day after the Supreme Court came down heavily on the Tamil Nadu governor for his refusal to re-induct DMK MLA K. Ponmudy into the cabinet, the Raj Bhavan Friday said his swearing-in ceremony would be held the same day.
A statement from Governor R.N. Ravi’s office read: “The honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has recommended to the honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu to induct K. Ponmudy in the council of ministers allocating the subjects Higher Education including technical education, electronics, science and technology currently held by Thiru RS Rajakannappan, Minister of Backwards classes welfare. The honourable governor has approved the recommendation. The swearing-in ceremony of the minister-designate will be held today 22.3.2024 at 3.30 pm at Raj Bhavan, Chennai.”
The Tamil Nadu government had Monday approached the Supreme Court against Ravi’s refusal to re-induct the former higher education minister, over a week after the apex court stayed his conviction in a disproportionate assets case in 2011.
Hearing the matter Thursday, a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud said Ravi was defying the Supreme Court order.
“When a two-judge bench stays the conviction, the Governor has no business to tell us that this does not wipe out the conviction and it is non-existent,” the top court said.
The attorney general was given a day to inform the court regarding the governor’s decision.
“We are seriously concerned about the conduct of the Governor in this case. Did not want to say it aloud. He is defying the Supreme Court of India… Those who have advised him have not advised him in accordance with the law and the Governor better be informed that when the Supreme Court stays the conviction, the law has to follow its course,” the bench had said.
Ponmudy was disqualified after the Madras High Court sentenced him and his wife P. Visalakshi to three years’ imprisonment in a Rs 1.75 crore disproportionate assets case in December 2023. Minister for Backward Classes Welfare R.S. Rajakannappan was allocated the higher education portfolio thereafter.
However, the Supreme Court had on 11 March stayed the conviction of the DMK leader saying that disqualification would be an “irreversible situation”.
Even though the Tamil Nadu assembly soon initiated the process to re-induct Ponmudy, governor Ravi stalled the process for a week, forcing the DMK government to seek the Supreme Court’s direction.
On 13 March, CM Stalin had written to Ravi seeking the swearing-in of Ponmudy as the higher education minister. In a letter to Stalin in the matter Sunday, Ravi said the re-induction of Ponmudy “would be against constitutional morality” as the minister was “tainted with corruption”.
The governor also said the Supreme Court had only “suspended” and “not set aside” Ponmudy’s conviction.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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