New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Governor R. N. Ravi reversed his decision to sack jailed DMK minister Senthil Balaji on the advice of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the governor said in a late-night directive Thursday.
The letter came barely five hours after he dismissed Balaji without consulting the ruling DMK government or seeking legal counsel. This drew tremendous backlash from the M.K. Stalin-led disposition over the Governor’s powers, particularly after the Supreme Court’s recent observation that neither the Constitution nor the law empowered the Governor to enter the political arena and play a role either in inter-party or intra-party disputes.
Ravi’s letter said that Shah advised him to “seek the opinion of the Attorney General” on the matter. “Accordingly, I am approaching the Attorney General for his opinion. Meanwhile, the order of dismissal of the minister Thiru V. Senthil Balaji may be kept in abeyance until further communication from me.”
Five hours earlier, the Governor had issued a letter sacking Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-jobs scam. This prompted loud protests from the Stalin government which vowed to legally challenge the order.
In an official release, the Raj Bhavan said, “There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of V. Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the State.
“Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice.
“Under these circumstances, the Governor has dismissed Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.”
Reacting to the development, Stalin said the Governor had no authority to dismiss a minister from the Cabinet. Allies of the DMK, including Left parties, also rallied behind the ruling party and condemned the Governor’s dramatic action.
Political analyst Durai Karuna told news agency PTI that it was the exclusive prerogative of the chief minister to induct ministers into the Cabinet or drop them from the Council of Ministers.
“In the past about four to five decades, I have not seen or heard of a Governor dropping a minister from the Cabinet without the recommendation of the chief minister,” Karuna said.
After 47-year-old Balaji’s arrest on 14 June, Stalin distributed his ministries but retained him as a minister without portfolio.
Balaji is currently in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. A few other criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC are being investigated by the state police.
After his arrest, Balaji complained of chest pain and underwent a bypass surgery at a private hospital.
On 31 May, the Governor wrote a letter to Stalin recommending that Balaji be dropped from the Cabinet, to which he received a detailed reply from the chief minister.
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