Tamil Nadu Assembly: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Saturday re-adopted 10 Bills returned by State Governor RN Ravi recently. The bills, covering different departments including Law, Agriculture and Higher Education, was passed by the House during a special sitting, convened in the wake of Ravi returning them on November 13.
Main opposition AIADMK and the BJP separately walked out.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin today (November 18) moved a resolution in the state Assembly to reconsider the 10 bills that were earlier passed by the House and returned by Governor R N Ravi. Notably, two bills were adopted by the House in 2020, two in 2023, and six were passed last year.
Stalin statement in Assembly
Stalin, moving the resolution, said without giving any reasons, Ravi had returned the Bills, mentioning "I withhold Assent" to them. He said that the House acknowledges, in accordance with the proviso to Article 200 of the Constitution of India, that if the aforementioned bills are re-passed and submitted to the Governor for approval, he "shall not withhold assent therefrom."
"This House resolves that under rule 143 of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly rules the following Bills may be reconsidered by this Assembly," the resolution moved by Stalin said. The Chief Minister also criticised Ravi, accusing the Governor of being eager to obstruct the government's initiatives. "He returned the Bills due to his personal whims and fancies...it is undemocratic and anti-people to not give assent" to them, the CM said.
He alleged that non-BJP ruled states were being targeted through Governors, apparently by the Centre.
Guv Ravi returns Bills
Earlier, the Tamil Nadu Governor had returned bills sent to him by the government for his assent.
At least 12 bills were pending besides, 4 official orders and a file related to the premature release of 54 prisoners. The number of bills returned to the government by Governor Ravi is not clear. The Assembly had been adjourned sine die in October.
The DMK regime has recently approached the Supreme Court accusing the Raj Bhavan of sitting over bills passed by the Assembly.
The apex court on November 10 had termed as a "matter of serious concern" the alleged delay by Governor Ravi in giving assent to bills passed by the Assembly. It sought the Centre's response on the state government's petition accusing the Raj Bhavan of "sitting over" 12 bills.
(With PTI inputs)
