TN Governor’s delay in dealing with Bills an ‘issue of serious concern’, says SC

The Supreme Court on November 10 said the Tamil Nadu Governor’s delay in dealing with Bills, sanction requests for prosecution, pleas for premature release of prisoners and filling up vacancies in the TN Public Service Commission is an issue of “serious concern”.

The Supreme Court on November 10 said the Tamil Nadu Governor’s delay in dealing with Bills, sanction requests for prosecution, pleas for premature release of prisoners and filling up vacancies in the TN Public Service Commission is an issue of “serious concern”.

The top court further issued notice to the Union of India through the Home Ministry and asked Attorney General of India or Solicitor General to be present in court when the case is listed next on Monday for hearing.

The Tamil Nadu government on October 31 moved a writ petition in the Supreme Court against Governor R.N. Ravi for creating a “constitutional deadlock” by inexplicably delaying or even failing to consider and assent to crucial Bills passed by the Legislature and stymieing day-to-day governance in a way which is threatening to bring administration in the State to a grinding halt.

The State said the Governor had positioned himself as a political rival to the legitimately elected government. The Governor’s inactions have caused an impasse between the constitutional head of the State and the elected government of the State. The Governor is toying away with the citizen’s mandate, the petition said.

The State urged the Supreme Court to declare the “inaction, omission, delay and failure to comply with the constitutional mandate by the Governor of Tamil Nadu” as illegal and arbitrary.