TN Governor Explains His U-Turn On Sacking Jailed Minister; Check Details

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has written to Chief Minister MK Stalin explaining why he changed his decision to order the immediate dismissal of state minister V Senthil Balaji.

Ravi dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers on Thursday evening, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

CM Stalin reacted by saying that the Governor has no powers and “we will face this legally.”

Within hours, the Governor decided to keep the dismissal order of Balaji on hold for the time being.

In a late night communication to the chief minister, Ravi stated that he had been advised by the Union Home Minister that it would be prudent to seek the opinion of the Attorney General on the matter, and hence the order dismissing Senthil Balaji may be kept in “abeyance” until further communication from him.

The Governor had earlier explained why he was compelled to sack Balaji.

“In the instant case your (CM MK Stalin) advice or to put it more appropriately your insistence to retain Thiru V Senthil Balaji against my advice as a member of the Council of Ministers reflects your unhealthy bias,” Ravi had written to the CM.

“There are reasonable apprehensions that continuation of Thiru V.Senthil Balaji as a Minister will continue to obstruct the due process of law and disrupt the course of Justice. Such a situation may eventually lead to breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the State. Under such circumstances and the powers conferred to me under Articles 154, 163 and 164 of the Constitution of India, I hereby dismiss Thiru V.Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect,” the Governor mentioned.

The Governor’s move had come a few days after the Tamil Nadu government said Balaji would continue as a state cabinet minister but will hold no portfolio.