Ravi had removed Balaji without CM’s consent, Stalin Govt had vowed to take legal action
In a surprising turn of events, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi revoked his highly contentious decision on Thursday night to dismiss Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers. The move, made without consulting Chief Minister MK Stalin, has ignited a heated standoff with the DMK Government in the State which had vowed to take legal action over the issue.
Minister Balaji, who is currently imprisoned and facing criminal charges in a corruption case involving an alleged cash-for-jobs scandal, had been retained by Chief Minister Stalin as a Minister without portfolio. However, Governor Ravi unilaterally chose to reverse this decision earlier in the day. As legal experts raised concerns about the legality of the Governor’s order, sources from the Governor’s office stated that he was seeking advice from the Attorney General and keeping the decision in abeyance. They further confirmed that Balaji would continue to serve as a Minister for the time being.
Chief Minister Stalin vehemently criticised the Governor, asserting that he does not possess the authority to dismiss a sitting Minister. He vowed to take legal action in response to the Governor’s actions. According to news agency PTI, Stalin declared, “The Governor does not have the right to dismiss a sitting Minister, and we will challenge this legally.”
An official statement released by Raj Bhavan, the Governor’s residence, indicated that Balaji is facing multiple criminal proceedings related to corruption. It is alleged that he abused his position as a Minister to manipulate ongoing investigations and obstruct the due process of law and justice. The statement emphasised the concern that allowing Balaji to remain in the Council of Ministers could have a detrimental impact on the due process of law, including fair investigation, potentially leading to a breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Consequently, the Governor promptly dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, effective immediately. The statement from Raj Bhavan clarified, “Minister Thiru V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal charges in several corruption cases, including allegations of accepting bribes for job placements and engaging in money laundering. By misusing his position as a minister, he has been interfering with investigations and impeding the course of law and justice.”
Supporters of the DMK, including Left parties, rallied behind the ruling party and condemned the Governor’s actions. Political analyst Durai Karuna pointed out that the Chief Minister has the exclusive authority to appoint or remove Ministers from the Cabinet.
DMK leader A Saravanan accused the Governor of undermining the Constitution, stating that the order dismissing Balaji from the State’s Council of Ministers is “not even worth the paper it was drafted on.” He criticised the Governor’s actions, proclaiming, “The Governor is disregarding the Constitution. He is pandering to his political masters. The law of the land is not determined by personal beliefs. A Governor should uphold the Constitution above all. His order is utterly meaningless and should be discarded.”
