After Supreme Court Rap, Tamil Nadu Governor Invites DMK Leader to Take Oath as Minister

New Delhi: Following a warning by the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi invited DMK leader K Ponmudy to be re-inducted into the state cabinet on Friday afternoon.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court warned the Governor over his refusing to swear-in Ponmudy.

Ponmudy was the Higher Education Minister of Tamil Nadu. He was convicted and sentenced to three-year jail term, in a 2011 disproportionate assets case. After conviction, he ceased to be an MLA and minister.

The conviction was stayed and the DMK leader was reinstated as the MLA from Tirukkoyilur in Villupuram district.

After this, CM MK Stalin recommended Mr Ponmudy be brought back into the cabinet. The Tamil Nadu Governor, however, refused to accept the recommendation, saying he was unable to administer the oath to Ponmudy as it would be against constitutional morality.

Ravi pointed out that the Supreme Court had only stayed, and not reversed, the conviction.

A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud came down heavily on Ravi – who has had several confrontations with the state government since his appointment in September 2021. The Governor was told he was “defying the Supreme Court”, and said it was “seriously concerned” by Ravi’s behaviour. “He has no business to do this… he is taking on the Supreme Court,” the Chief Justice said.

“The Chief Minister said ‘we want to appoint this person’. The Governor should do so as part of parliamentary democracy… he is (only) ceremonial head of state. If we do not hear from your person tomorrow, we will pass an order directing the Governor to act according to the constitution…”

Justice JB Pardiwala, also on the bench, remarked that once the highest court in the land had stayed a conviction, “you cannot say that you (the alleged accused) is tainted… there is no blemish”.