Did T.N. CM make specific request to Governor to allow arrested Minister Senthilbalaji to continue in Cabinet, asks Madras High Court
The Hindu
The Madras High Court on Monday wanted to know whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had written to Governor R.N. Ravi making a specific request to allow Minister V. Senthilbalaji to continue in the Cabinet despite his having been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case on June 14.
The Madras High Court on Monday wanted to know whether Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had written to Governor R.N. Ravi making a specific request to allow Minister V. Senthilbalaji to continue in the Cabinet despite his having been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case on June 14.
To get today’s top stories from the State in your inbox, subscribe to our Tamil Nadu Today newsletter here
Chief Justice S.V. Gangapurwala and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu granted time, until the afternoon of Monday, June 26, 2023, for the counsel representing the petitioners, to produce a letter, if any, written by the CM to the Governor with this specific request. One of these is a writ petitioner, M.L. Ravi of the Desiya Makkal Sakthi Katchi, and another litigant is S. Ramachandran of Kolathur in Chennai who had questioned Minister Senthilbalaji’s continuation in the Cabinet, despite his being in judicial custody.
When the two cases were taken up for hearing together, one the petitioner’s counsel relied upon Article 164 of the Constitution and contended that the Ministers could continue in office only during the pleasure of the Governor and in the present case, Mr. Ravi had explicitly expressed his dissent over the continuation of the arrested Minister.
However, the Chief Justice told the counsel that the Governor had appointed the Minister on the advice of the Chief Minister as required under Article 164(1) of the Constitution and wanted to know whether there was any provision which empowers the Governor to dismiss a Minister and whether any such order had been passed.
On being told that the Raj Bhavan had issued a press release indicating that the Governor was not in favour of the continuation of Mr. Senthilbalaji in the Cabinet, the CJ said: “There is a distinction between not agreeing with his continuation in the Cabinet and passing a positive order against his continuation. We want to know whether any such order has been passed.”
When the petitioner’s counsel said, after the arrest of Mr. Senthilbalaji, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had written to the Governor to reallocate the portfolios held by the arrested Minister to two other Ministers, the Chief Justice asked whether the Chief Minister had made any specific request to the Governor to allow Mr. Senthilbalaji to continue in the Cabinet.
The Kaveri 2.0 portal experienced performance issues in December 2024 and January 2025.
The duration of the work in Goshen library in Chintadripet is 12 months; three months have elapsed, and the work would reportedly be completed before the deadline.
Maharashtra minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on February 16, 2025, that separate provisions have been made for each welfare scheme and none has been affected by the flagship Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana.
Perplexity AI has launched Deep Research, its AI research tool for free to compete with OpenAI and Google’s research tools.
West Bengal falls short in solar energy capacity, with only 5% of estimated potential installed, BJP criticises Mamata Banerjee.
Two more persons have been arrested and remanded in connection with the double murder case reported under Perambur police station limits in Mayiladuthurai district on February 14, 2025.
Union Minister Suresh Gopi warns officials against taking bribes, emphasizes importance of public service and growth of tourism sector.
Poongodi Mathiarasu, a puppetry enthusiast, aims to spread the art form's therapeutic benefits through workshops and performances.
Tribal healer in Odisha impresses Ayurvedic experts with traditional treatments for chronic diseases, sparking scientific curiosity and conservation efforts.
Understanding the impact of earthquake depth on damage and intensity of shaking in concise detail.
Minister Sekarbabu rededicates renovated tank at Raveeswarar temple in Vyasarpadi, with upcoming temple structure lift and kumbabhishekam.
Talisva Winery in Karnataka creates unique wines, including a betel leaf and areca nut dessert wine, with expansion plans.
4.0-magnitude earthquake strikes Delhi, causing panic as residents feel strong tremors and rush outside for safety.