The Supreme Court of India has issued a scathing rebuke to Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for his refusal to re-induct a leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party as a minister, despite a pause on his conviction. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, expressed strong disapproval of the Governor’s actions and questioned the government’s response to such defiance of constitutional norms.
The court’s criticism comes in response to the state government’s plea after Governor RN Ravi declined to re-induct DMK’s K Ponmudi as a minister, citing concerns over constitutional morality. Ponmudi had been disqualified as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) following a recent decision by the Madras High Court to reverse his acquittal in an assets case. However, the Supreme Court subsequently stayed his conviction and the sentence of a two-year jail term, creating an opportunity for his re-induction into the state cabinet.
Despite the court’s intervention, Governor RN Ravi remained steadfast in his refusal to re-induct Ponmudi as a minister, citing the suspended conviction as a barrier to his appointment. However, the Supreme Court bench has now given the Governor a deadline of one day to comply with its directive and appoint Ponmudi as a minister in the state cabinet.